Yuriko Takagi photography: chaoscosmos vol.3 - visible viscosity - GYRE GALLARY

visible viscosity

The flow of air and water is ordinarily invisible. But I've been fascinated by things involving viscosity ever since a photo shoot that made the mysterious relationship between gravity and viscosity visible. At the time, I knew absolutely nothing about viscosity from the perspective of fluid dynamics, but what was revealed through the combination of shutter speed and depth of field was a phenomenon of infinite beauty and mystery.

Most beautiful shapes in nature come from the balance of gravity, inertia, and viscosity.

Later, I came to understand the field of fluid dynamics is full of interesting ideas like this, and I began to look forward to seeing what I could make visible through further sessions turning my camera on these three phenomena. It was delightful to discover that the act of photography can make a considerable contribution to the process of shedding light on the invisible order of nature.

Yuriko Takagi, Photographer

chaoscosmos

I have long vaguely imagined that due to some action, the cosmos (order = universe) was born out of chaos. In other words, in my mind, chaos and order possessed a causal relationship. But then, as I began to look at natural phenomena through the lens I began to realize that perhaps chaos and cosmos coexist simultaneously. Much more than what we generally accept on a daily basis the providence of the universe is surprisingly far more complex and detailed. I think that the characteristics (phenomena) of each substance as well as life may be a methodology for survival in this universe. From time to time these phenomena appear visually through the lens. MMM* are hidden in natural phenomena that cannot be seen or noticed by the naked eye. At some point, I began to receive them as small messages through the mechanism of the camera.

*M: magical M: mysterious M: miracle
I call these messages "chaoscosmos."
Following on from sakura,
visible viscosity is the third volume of chaoscosmos.
Yuriko Takagi
Born in Tokyo, Takagi studied graphic design at Musashino Art University in Tokyo and fashion design at Trent Polytechnic in England. Since then, as a photographer she has continued to explore human existence through fashion and the body from her unique perspective. In recent years, she has been deeply interested in the mysteries of natural phenomena, launching the chaoscosmos project and grappling with new forms of expression including video. Based in Japan, she has also worked in other parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
Photo credit: © Shinnosuke Miyachi
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2022   chaoscosmos vol. 1 - icing process - (GYRE GALLERY)
2023   Christian Dior : Designer of Dreams, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
*Photographed haute couture fashion for Japanese exhibition catalog and exhibition layout.
2023   PARALLEL WORLD (Nijo-jo Castle, Ninomaru-goten Palace, Daidokoro Kitchen and Okiyodokoro Kitchen / KYOTOGRAPHIE main program)
2024   chaoscosmos vol. 2 - sakura - (GYRE GALLERY)
2026   Threads of Beauty 1995-2025: Wrapped in Time, Wrapped in Wind (Bunkamura The Museum)

COLLECTIONS
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; Hara Museum of Contemporary Art; Kobe Fashion Museum; Meguro Museum of Art; Shanghai Art Museum

PUBLICATIONS
Nus Intimes (Yobisha, 1994), In and Out of Mode (Gap Japan, 1994), Confused Gravitation (Bijutsu Shuppan-sha, 1994), skin (Fusosha Publishing, 1998), Sei (Atelier EXB, 2014), Dior by Yuriko Takagi (Rizzoli, 2025), Threads of Beauty 1995-2025 (Seigensha Art Publishing, 2026)

Yuriko Takagi photography exhibition:
chaoscosmos vol.3 - visible viscosity -

Dates:
October 8 - November 29, 2026
Venue:
GYRE GALLERY |
GYRE 3F, 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Navi Dial 0570-05-6990 (11:00 - 18:00)
Organizer:
GYRE
Curation/planning:
papalagi studio
Venue design/
project management:
Shiho Minami, GullineL (multi-dimensional team)
Graphic design:
Rikako Nagashima, Miku Suzuki (village®)
Construction:
IBUKI KOGEISHA
Lighting:
Yasuo Inoue, Nao Okai (MGS Lighting)
Lithograph:
UMEDA LITHOGRAPH STUDIO
Framing:
FLATFILE
Urushi (Lacquer) Craft:
Tomokichi Miyashita
Production
coordinator:
Amanda Ling-Ning Lo (intermediArt)
Photography assistant:
Shinnosuke Miyachi
Translation:
Azby Brown
Sponsor:
MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
PR direction:
HiRAO INC
Press contact:
HiRAO INC |
#608 1-11-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03.5771.8808 | Fax. 03.5410.8858
Contacts: Seiichiro Mifune and Shohei Suzuki.