About
Ayumi Tanaka is a Japanese-born visual artist based in New York. Using found photographs, self-portraits, and household items, she engages in photomontages that focus on themes of memory and psychological experience. Tanaka constructs three-dimensional dioramas, composed of overlapping multiple layers of photo collages, assembled and photographed to depict psychological landscapes.
Tanaka’s work has been shown internationally at exhibitions including The Noguchi Museum in New York, Maison Louis Carré in France, Sinkka Museum in Finland, Center for Photography at Woodstock, Pictura Gallery in Bloomington; LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her work has been reviewed in publications such as New York Times, The Guardian, AFAR, and "I'm So Happy You Are Here: Japanese Women Photographers from the 1950’s to Now," by Aperture.
Tanaka earned her BFA from Osaka University of Arts in Japan and studied at the International Center of Photography in New York. She is the recipient of Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Photography Competition, Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50, Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Award, PDN’s 30 New and Emerging Photographer to Watch, International Center of Photography Director Fellowship, and New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship.
Tanaka's work has been acquired by the Brooklyn Museum.