Hiroshi Watanabe

Two Home Countries

On view: April 15 – May 30, 2005

Hiroshi Watanabe was born in Sapporo , Japan . He graduated from Department of Photography, College of Art , at Nihon University in 1975. He moved to Los Angeles after graduation and became involved in the production of Japanese TV commercials, eventually working as a producer. He later established his own production company and produced more than 300 commercials for Japan . He received an MBA degree from UCLA Business School in 1993. In 1995 his passion for photography rekindled, and since then he has traveled worldwide extensively, photographing what he finds intriguing at that moment and place. In 2000 he closed the production company in order to devote himself entirely to the art and became a full-time photographer.

His work has been published in Japan , USA , South America , and Europe , and he has exhibited in many galleries across the United States and is included in several collections. He has also received awards from Advertising Photographers Association in Japan , Los Angeles Times, Western Art Directors Club, London Photographic Awards, Advertising Photographers of America, Photo Review, Center for Photographic Art, and International Photography Awards.