(1905-1988, Osaka)

Otono studied the technique of photogram making in detail and wrote about it in several Japanese photography periodicals. Sutezo Otono’s lyrical work evokes Japan’s intense appreciation of nature. Otono gathered materials from the natural world that he used to create his work.

He used various kinds of daily objects, as well as small items picked up during his numerous walks, such as autumn leaves, and very cautiously placed them on photographic paper. With a particular interest in producing photograms, he explored the technique to develop the simple mechanics of the process in service of a highly individualized mode of image-making.