Selected Awards
Palm photo awards finalist (2022)
London street photography awards winner (2021)
Miami street photography awards finalist (2020)
Paris photo awards finalist (2020)
Selected Exhibitions
Palm photo exhibition (2022, 10 14 Gallery London)
Plan C x Perimetro (2021, Via Tajani Milano)
Tokyo Colors (Solo Exhibition, 2021, Koma Gallery Tokyo)
Palazzo Corrado (2021, Lagonegro Italy)
Huten Gallery (2021, Shanghai)
Life. Japan (2019, Hallo: e.v Hamburg Germany)
Public Speaking
Saga Prefecture (2022), UNESCO Japan Conference (2021), Regional Banking Summit by Japan’s Financial Services Agency (2021), Kamakura Sustainability Institute (2021), Phygital Sustainability Expo (2021, 2022), Fashion Frontier Program (2021), Ace (Human Rights in the textile supply chain, 2019), UNGC Japan (2015, 2017, 2018)
Clients and Collaborations
Xiaomi, BlackMagic, Yakushima Prefecture, Nikkei Shinbun, Amnesty International, Hodinkee, Plan C, Maison Lexia, Bacardi, Ulysse Nardin, etc.
Biography
Ulysses Aoki (b. August 10, 1992) was born in Saitama, Japan then soon moved to Tokyo. Born to a Japanese mother and American father who both ended up working in art publishing companies for decades, Ulysses spent much of his early life doing modeling work in Tokyo and being outdoors- playing soccer and basketball, climbing mountains. Through elementary school he was attending international schools in Japan, but then left to join a Japanese middle school.
The constant practicing of soccer lead him to an opportunity to play for the Under 15 team at Arsenal de Sarandi in Argentina. After playing in Argentina for 8 months, he then played for Niigata Albirex’s high school team, moving back to Japan. He quit playing soccer after a year and a half in Albirex after a series of events- a combination of injury, as well as contemplation on how rich life can be, and how much will be “missed” by only playing sports for a perceived future.
After quitting professional sports and leaving behind what most people knew him for (or his early “legacy”), the only interests Ulysses found in life was to work for the betterment and longevity of humanity, and to be somehow included in the world of art and expression. This led him to study sustainability independently and through school, and reboot his fashion modeling career. Ulysses went on to do modeling work for brands like Gucci, Beams, GU, Uniqlo, Lemaire, United Arrows, and walked Tokyo Collection. While doing so, his interest in sustainability led him to an opportunity to speak in a UNGC (United Nations Global Compact) event as the representative speaker from Japan, which then led him to an opportunity to work in sustainability for a world-leading consulting firm.
Although Ulysses bought his first camera during his time in university, he did not spend much time with it, only using it for the occasional portrait session with friends. After starting work in the financial district of Tokyo, a sense of frustration hit upon noticing incapability of artistic expression- he had no experience in drawing or any physical art form. After learning that photography shares foundational elements with any other art form, he begun to study photography and shoot tirelessly- something that he felt the urge to do, after understanding the reality and importance of time commitment, through his experience of playing sports semi-professionally.
Ever since, Ulysses has been working as a sustainability professional and a visual artist. His passion to put his time and soul into something derived from professional level sports, and his empathy and understanding of social good has highly influenced his work ethic, seeing the world in a different light, and what his work should evolve to be.
The goal in life: To move things around for the betterment of humanity, quickly, accurately, and beautifully. Sustainability is core, art is perhaps the best method. The outcome is hopefully something beautiful, helpful and new.