Kohei Yoshiyuki (b. 1946)

During the early 1970s, Japanese photographer Kohei Yoshiyuki prowled Tokyo’s public parks at night. Equipped with a 35mm camera, infrared film, and a filtered flashbulb, Yoshiyuki photographed couples engaged in various sexual acts, shrouded in darkness and often surrounded by faceless onlookers. The resulting series, simply titled “The Park,” was first shown at Komai Gallery in Tokyo in 1979. For this exhibition, the photographs were blown up to life size, the gallery lights were turned off, and each visitor was given a flashlight; unequivocally implicating viewer and photographer in the act of voyeurism.