Coming soon at Literary Revelations – Lullascapes in Light and Shadow by Naoki Kimura

Good day, my dearest followers. If it is morning, have a productive day; if it is night, may it be magical for you.

I am going to use this space today to remind everyone who reads my blog that my publishing house, Literary Revelations, is on the verge of publishing a superb album of fine art photography (monochrome) and poetry entitled LULLACAPES IN LIGHT AND SHADOW by Japanese artist Naoki Kimura.

Please stay tuned for more news!

Lullascapes in Light and Shadow

Technically, the album measures 8.27 x 11.69 inches and is printed on premium paper.

Substantively, the team and I at Literary Revelations are honored to bring you such a collector’s piece.

For those eager to journey deeper into the heart of Japanese culture, there is no more resonant path than one illuminated by the fine art photography and poetry of a preeminent Zen photographer. The album is more than a collection of images or mere words—it is an invitation to see with new eyes, to listen with a still mind, and to experience the world as a fleeting, exquisite moment.

I did the last quick revision of the album last night. When I finished, my hands were trembling. So much beauty…

間への静かな招待。
最後の一筋が窓枠を越えたとき、
私たちは心の防壁を解き、
そっと黄昏の祝福を受け入れる。

An invitation to the in-between.
When the last ray slips beyond the frame,
we stand unguarded,
ready for dusk’s gentle benediction.

Naoki Kimura…

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More information about our artist Naoki Kimura

ARTIST STATEMENT

Nagikei:
The Lullscapes Embracing the Resonance of Stillness
The title “Nagikei” (凪景-Lullscapes) encapsulates the profound sense of tranquility and harmony inherent in “Nagi” (Lull), blended with the nuanced appreciation for subtlety and evanescence conveyed by “Kei” (scenery or emotional landscape). This collection invites you to rediscover those serene moments and ephemeral beauties often overlooked in our daily lives.
My choice of monochrome expression stems from a profound belief: the interplay of light and shadow, with its intricate gradations, can most authentically articulate silence and its profound depths. This minimalist yet dignified approach accentuates the delicate textures, structures, and tonal variations brought forth by chiaroscuro. It aims to evoke the subtle “fluctuations” (yuragi) inherent in nature and the poignant sensibility of “mono no aware” – a gentle melancholy at the transience of things.
Japan, with its rich tapestry of tradition and aesthetic consciousness, serves as a timeless realm that conveys both serenity and warmth. The tranquility and natural allure permeating this land resonate deeply with the quietude and acceptance of impermanence central to Zen philosophy, offering visitors a unique space for calm introspection. It is my sincere hope that through this album, you will experience a profound resonance with these works at the crossroads of time and space.
The emotions embedded within the theme of “Nagikei” are inextricably linked to, and deeply resonate with, the consciousness of a “sustainable future.” In an increasingly digital world, we often lose sight of the “transcendent synchronicity” that these moments reveal. Furthermore, the inherent human capacity to perceive the “1/f fluctuation” waves present in nature and to embrace “mono no aware,” transcending eras and cultures, I believe, reawakens our fundamental aesthetic sensibilities.
This is not a return to origins, but rather a quest to rediscover the unique stillness and momentary beauty often overlooked in our contemporary digitized environments. I believe this endeavor is a meaningful pursuit for enriching our inner lives as we navigate towards a future society. It is my earnest wish that these works, which focus on “being” and “feeling” within stillness and simplicity, will offer viewers profound introspection and healing, serving as a catalyst for re- evaluating their environment and way of life.
Should you find yourself sharing in this world of “Nagi”—a space for experiencing the quietude of the heart and an instinctive appreciation for “essential beauty”—it would be my utmost fulfillment.

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LIST OF EXHIBITIONS
Solo & Group Exhibitions
2025 Naoki Kimura Exhibition – Nagikei – Lullscapes in Light and Shadow, Hilton Tokyo (with Nespresso and Earth+ Gallery), Tokyo
2024 Naoki Kimura Exhibition – Nagiei – In Praise of Shadows as Lullscape, Cha no Ma, Tokyo
2024 Naoki Kimura Solo Exhibition – A Time Flies as Lullscapes, Kyoto Tsutaya Bookstore
2023 Naoki Kimura Exhibition – Echoes of Silence / Harmony with Noise, Shimokitazawa Spicy Stories
2023 The Tranquility as Lullscape – Nagi – In Praise of Shadows, Sho+1 Gallery, Tokyo
2022 Nagi on the Edge of Milestone, Fireking Café, Tokyo
2021 Reality and Virtuality, Sho+1 Gallery, Tokyo
2019 Architecture and Light – Six Photographers Intersecting with Architecture, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2018 Naoki Kimura Exhibition – Nagi: Anecdote (curated), Ginza Soei Gallery, Tokyo
2015 Through the Window – Light Accumulating, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2014 Publication Commemorative Exhibition – Nagi, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2013 Director’s Choice Vol.3: B&W,
Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2012 Director’s Choice Vol.2, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2011 Portrait, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2010 Silent Monochrome, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2009 Nagi – Rising, Ephemeral Moments, Emon Photo Gallery, Tokyo
2006 Fine Print Auction 2006 Exhibition, Viewpoint Gallery, California, USA
2005 ML Collaboration Project – Photography as Interior, Cassina IXC Aoyama, Tokyo
1993 3 Days in Chinatown, Exposure (Shibuya PARCO), Tokyo
1992 IL Concerto / Naoki Kimura, Sala d’Arte della Casa Editrice Cantini, Florence, Italy
1991 L’atmosfera, Stephen Albier Gallery (Burberry New York), USA
1988 Déjà Vu the Shadow, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, USA
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Art Fair Participation
2024 Art Collaboration Kyoto
2024 Art Fair Tokyo
2022 Art Stage Osaka
2022 Art Fair Tokyo
2017 Daikanyama Photo Fair
2012 Tokyo Photo
1993 Frankfurt Book Fair
Selected Collaborations, Commissions & Auctions
Lobby artwork, Heritage Place Boston, USA (1989–1991)
Advertising image for Thai Dynasty, Interior Design (USA), 1988
Boutique decoration images for Burberry New York, 1993
Selected by Cantini Editore (Italy) for Frankfurt Book Fair, 1993
Original photographic goods for Tokyo International Forum collaboration with
Rafael Viñoly Architects (New York) — Postcards, memo blocks, notebooks, letter sets (Art Print Japan), 1997–
Branding management & imagery for Blanco Elegante Beauty Salon, 2002– 2005
Exhibitions & auctions at Viewpoint Gallery – Photographic Art Center, California, USA, 2007–
Image contributions for Yohaku Gallery, 2010–2014
Image production for Aio-n Ginza,
produced by Masayuki Tsuchiya, 2009–
Title background imagery for Art Stage – The Feast of Beauty by Painters, TOKYO MXTV, 2014–
Slide show collaboration for Sound Collaboration LIVE – Light Mellow Vol.1.5 / Future City-Pop Edition, KIWA Tennoz Isle, 2019
Selected for Nagi-Wa project “Yell for Art! Tokyo Project”, 2020
Exhibited and sold works via OIL by Bijutsu Techo, 2022–
Exhibited and sold NFT works via MakersPlace, 2022–
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AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Black & White Portfolio Contest Awards (USA)
Annual Awards 2006
Merit Award
Black & White Spider Awards
3rd Edition (International), 2007
Annual Awards Nominee
Black & White Spider Awards
19th Edition (International), 2024
Annual Awards Nominee
Photo book “Nagi”
YPP Graphic Arts, 2014
YPP Award
Photo book “Nagi”
56th National Catalog & Poster Exhibition (Japan)
Encouragement Prize

BIOGRAPHY
Naoki Kimura, a fine art photographer and poet, was born in the historic weaving district of Nishijin in Kyoto. In this enclave, centuries-old threads of tradition and artistry are intricately intertwined. Kimura’s work is shaped by the subtle grandeur of Japan’s ancient heart. This cradle of craftsmanship, with its iridescent silks and quiet temples, instilled in him an early reverence for the grace found in both everyday moments and the painstaking work of artisans.
In 1987, driven by a yearning for broader horizons, Kimura embarked on a pilgrimage to the United States. By 1990, the creative current of New York had claimed him. New York became both an anchor and a launching point, enabling him to traverse Europe’s storied landscapes. Naoki Kimura’s first album, NAGI, emerged as a radiant homage to the Renaissance that once swept across the heart of Europe.
Yet, despite the lure of the world, there remained an inexorable pull toward home. In 2017, with the wisdom of years and an increasingly profound artistic vision, he turned his gaze back to Japan, establishing Tokyo as his creative hub. Here, amid the contrasting rhythms of ancient temples and neon-lit avenues, he embarked on a new chapter—a return not only to his country of birth but to purpose.
At the core of his photographic meditation lies an exploration of mono no aware—the tender awareness of impermanence and the gentle sorrow that accompanies it. Through his unique sensibility, Kimura distills this concept into what he calls ‘Nagi’: a profound, resonant calm. It is a stillness that is not emptiness but fullness—an echo of all that once was and might yet be. Each photograph, whether of a fleeting shadow on stone or the hush before a storm, seeks to capture the tremor that arises when moment and place converge—a fleeting qualia, the ineffable felt quality of existence itself.
His art is, in essence, the patient recording of these thresholds: the pause where time lingers, suspended in the interplay of light and shadow. Through careful observation, Noaki Kimura makes the invisible manifest; his images invite viewers to inhabit silence, to contemplate the spaces between breath, thought, and sensation.
This singular vision has garnered him a devoted circle of collectors, not only in his native Japan but across the Americas and Europe. To encounter his work is to be reminded of the fragility of beauty, the sweetness of melancholy, and the immense depth that resides within the most unassuming of moments. His photographs are not records of the world, but portals to its soul—each frame a meditation, each composition an invitation to dwell, if only for an instant, in the presence of stillness.
Naoki Kimura’s newest album, Lullascapes in Light and Shadow (Literary Revelations, 2025), is a testimony to his exceptional art and a symphony of refinement and restraint. His Japanese art embodies quiet contemplation and presents the world with a vision where the fleeting and the eternal converge.
GABRIELA MARIE MILTON
Editor in Chief and Founder of
Literary Revelations Publishing House, USA

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My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: Love Poems and Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton in Portland Book Review
Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: Love Poems and Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton in Manhattan Book Review
Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings in San Francisco by Gabriela Marie Milton in San Francisco Book Review
Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings by Gabriela Marie Milton In Manhattan Book Reviews

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