World-Renowned Jazz Photographer Hozumi Nakadaira's First Memorial Retrospective "THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ" to be Held Simultaneously in Paris, France and Tokyo (Hamarikyu Gardens)! Opens August 25 (Tue)!

Bill Evans, Top of the Gate New York, 1970 Hozumi Nakadaira "JAZZ GIANTS 1961-2013" published by Tokyo Kirara Sha

* Main visual for the film "Bill Evans/Time Remembered" (2019), directed by Bruce Spiegel.

Jazz photographer Hozumi Nakadaira passed away on December 1, 2024, at the age of 88. His first memorial exhibition, "THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ - The Path of Jazz -," will be held simultaneously in two cities: Paris, France, and Tokyo (Hamarikyu Gardens), starting August 25, 2026. This exhibition is a large-scale retrospective that honors Nakadaira's achievements and disseminates the artistic value of his work to the international community.

Opening simultaneously in Paris and Tokyo (Hamarikyu Gardens) on August 25, 2026, THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ is the first memorial retrospective dedicated to legendary jazz photographer Hozumi Nakadaira (1936–2024). The exhibition honors his enduring legacy and presents the artistic power of his work to an international audience.

Starting with his first photographs of Art Blakey's Japan tour in 1961, Hozumi Nakadaira spent over 40 years photographing world-renowned jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Thelonious Monk. He was also known as the owner of the legendary jazz cafés "DIG" and "DUG," beloved by many prominent figures including Shuji Terayama, Yukio Mishima, and Haruki Murakami, and made significant contributions to the development of global jazz culture as a leading jazz photographer.

Starting with Art Blakey’s first Japan tour in 1961, Hozumi Nakadaira photographed jazz legends including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Thelonious Monk for more than 40 years. As owner of the legendary jazz cafés DIG and DUG, he played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting jazz culture worldwide.

Hozumi Nakadaira / Profile

Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1936. Graduated from the Department of Photography, College of Art, Nihon University. Began his career as a jazz photographer in 1961 with his coverage of Art Blakey's first Japan tour, and for over half a century, he photographed jazz giants worldwide. In the same year, he founded the jazz café "DIG," followed by "DUG" in 1967. His 1993 photo exhibition "Giants of Jazz" at Shinjuku Konica Plaza attracted 27,000 visitors. Since then, he has held photo exhibitions annually across Japan. In 2013, he received the Wakayama Prefecture Cultural Achievement Award. He passed away in December 2024 at the age of 88. His works have been widely used for record and CD covers, and in films, and his photographs, which captured the era of jazz, continue to be highly acclaimed worldwide.

Hozumi Nakadaira / Profile

was one of Japan’s foremost jazz photographers. A graduate of Nihon University College of Art, he began his career in 1961 photographing Art Blakey’s first Japan tour and spent more than five decades documenting the world’s greatest jazz musicians. He also founded the legendary jazz cafés DIG and DUG in Tokyo. Recipient of the Wakayama Prefecture Cultural Achievement Award in 2013, his photographs have appeared on numerous record and CD covers, as well as in films, and continue to be celebrated worldwide.

Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane, Newport Jazz Festival, 1966 Hozumi Nakadaira "JAZZ GIANTS 1961-2013" published by Tokyo Kirara Sha

This exhibition is held in collaboration with Michael Timsit, representative of Galerie Joseph, one of France's leading art networks with over 30 exhibition spaces in Paris. Furthermore, through international media such as the global art & culture magazine "ACUMEN," jazz photography, which has primarily been evaluated as documentary photography, will be redefined as a genre of contemporary art, creating opportunities for its artistic value to be recognized and appreciated.

Presented in collaboration with Michael Timsit of Galerie Joseph, one of France’s leading art networks, and supported by international media including ACUMEN, the exhibition redefines jazz photography as contemporary art and brings its artistic value to a global audience.

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Galerie Joseph Representative: Michael Timsit / Profile

Founder & Representative of Galerie Joseph / Founder & Publisher of Acumen Magazine. Entrepreneur, publisher, and art collector. Founded Galerie Joseph and has organized numerous international exhibitions in contemporary art, photography, and design. Promotes contemporary art and international cultural exchange through Acumen Magazine.

Galerie Joseph Representative: Michael Timsit / Profile

Founder & President, Galerie Joseph / Founder & Publisher, Acumen Magazine French entrepreneur, publisher, and art collector. Founder and president of Galerie Joseph and founder and publisher of Acumen Magazine. He promotes contemporary art and international cultural exchange through exhibitions and publishing.

Miles Davis, Newport Jazz Festival, 1969 Hozumi Nakadaira "JAZZ GIANTS 1961-2013" published by Tokyo Kirara Sha

Furthermore, this exhibition features a distinctive dual-city structure, held simultaneously in Paris, France, and Tokyo, Japan. Galerie Joseph in Paris (5 Rue Sainte Anastase) is positioned as "dynamic," symbolizing the energy and creativity of the modern city. In contrast, the Tokyo venue, with the cooperation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, has selected "Hobaitei" within the historic cultural heritage site Hamarikyu Gardens, which has been passed down from the Edo period to the present, to represent "stillness" and the spirituality and serenity of Japanese culture, creating a comparative structure between the two venues. Through "dynamic" and "still," "contemporary" and "historic," the exhibition expresses the vibrancy and serenity of jazz captured by Hozumi Nakadaira on two contrasting stages, disseminating the universal appeal of his work both domestically and internationally.

Presented simultaneously in Paris and Tokyo, the exhibition contrasts the dynamic contemporary setting of Galerie Joseph with the tranquil historic atmosphere of Hobaitei at Hamarikyu Gardens, creating a dialogue between movement and stillness.Set between movement and stillness, contemporary and historic, the exhibition celebrates the timeless power of Hozumi Nakadaira’s jazz photography and shares its universal appeal with a global audience.

French Venue GALERIE JOSEPH 5 Rue Sainte Anastase Exterior 1

French Venue GALERIE JOSEPH 5 Rue Sainte Anastase Interior 1

Japanese Venue Details Hamarikyu Gardens Hobaitei Exterior 1

Japanese Venue Details Hamarikyu Gardens Hobaitei Interior 1

Throughout his life, Hozumi Nakadaira deeply admired photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, who advocated the concept of the "decisive moment" and left a significant mark on 20th-century photographic history, and had long wished to exhibit in France. Paris, France, where Cartier-Bresson lived and nurtured photographic art. And Tokyo, where Nakadaira based his activities. This exhibition is also a cultural project that traces the trajectory left by a single photographer, connecting these two cities.

Inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson, whom he deeply admired, Hozumi Nakadaira had long hoped to exhibit in France. Connecting Paris and Tokyo, this exhibition follows the legacy of a photographer whose work transcends borders.

Thelonious Monk, Village Vanguard New York, 1966 Hozumi Nakadaira "JAZZ GIANTS 1961-2013" published by Tokyo Kirara Sha

* Photograph used in the film "The Terminal" (2004), directed by Steven Spielberg.

Hozumi Nakadaira's photographs were not intended for sale, and the number of existing prints is extremely small. Furthermore, since the revision of photographic paper (monochrome) in 2014, which changed the pure color tone, he has not produced any photographic prints. This exhibition will be a rare opportunity to see photographs from that time, made with precious silver gelatin prints, all together.

Never intended for commercial sale, Nakadaira’s original prints are exceptionally rare. Featuring vintage silver gelatin prints, this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience these remarkable works together.

In June 2026, "DUG," which had been a symbol of Japan's jazz culture for 65 years, closed its doors due to the demolition of the building, marking the end of an era. "THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ" is not only the "trajectory" of jazz left by Hozumi Nakadaira but also the starting point of a new "trajectory" that continues into the future. This exhibition is intended as a "bell" to honor his achievements as a tribute to Hozumi Nakadaira, and also as a "bell" that heralds the dawn of a new era for Japanese jazz photography and music photography. It is dedicated with profound respect and gratitude to the trajectory of jazz left by Hozumi Nakadaira and to all the people who supported his journey.

In June 2026, DUG, which had been a symbol of Japan’s jazz culture for 65 years, closed its doors due to the demolition of the building, bringing an era to a close.THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ is both a tribute to Hozumi Nakadaira’s legacy and the starting point of a new journey. A tribute to Hozumi Nakadaira’s enduring legacy, this exhibition also marks a new chapter for Japanese jazz photography. It is dedicated with profound respect and gratitude to the artist and all who shared his journey.

Hozumi Nakadaira Photographer 60th Anniversary (2021 L-1Gallery) Exhibition Video Link

Exhibition Overview

THE TRAJECTORY OF JAZZ

Hozumi Nakadaira PHOTO EXHIBITION 2026 | PARIS & TOKYO

Paris Venue Details:

Dates: August 25 (Tue) – August 30 (Sun), 2026 (Total 6 days)

Hours: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM *Closes at 5:00 PM on the final day *Paris time (Free admission)

Venue: GALERIE JOSEPH 5 Rue Sainte-Anastase

Inquiries: France Contact GALERIE JOSEPH TEL: +33 (0)1 4271 20 22

Japan Contact TEL: 090-1936-8037 Contact Person: Tashiro

Email: [email protected]

Tokyo Venue Details:

Dates: August 28 (Fri) – August 30 (Sun), 2026 (Total 3 days)

Aug 28 (Fri) 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Aug 29 (Sat) 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Aug 30 (Sun) 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

*Free admission (Hamarikyu Gardens entrance fee of 300 yen for adults applies separately)

Venue: Hamarikyu Gardens (Hobaitei)

Inquiries: TEL: 090-1936-8037 Contact Person: Tashiro

Email: [email protected]

Organizer: IL ART Inc.

Co-organizers: FLECTRA / L-1Gallery

Support: Tokyo Metropolitan Government / Hamarikyu Gardens (Hobaitei) / Galerie Joseph / ACUMEN / Shinjuku DUG / Tokyo Kirara Sha / VOID2

Exhibition Information – Paris

Dates August 25 (Tue) – August 30 (Sun), 2026 6-day exhibition Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Closing at 5:00 PM on the final day (Paris local time)

Admission: Free

Venue GALERIE JOSEPH 5 Rue Sainte-Anastase 75003 Paris, France

Inquiries

France GALERIE JOSEPH Tel: +33 (0)1 42 71 20 22

Japan Contact: Mr. Tashiro Tel: +81 90-1936-8037 Email: [email protected]

Exhibition Information – Tokyo

Dates August28(Fri)–August30(Sun), 2026 3-day exhibition Opening Hours:

Fri, Aug 28, 11:30 AM–4 PM

Sat, Aug 29, 10 AM–4 PM

Sun, Aug 30, 10 AM–3 PM

Organizer: IL ART Representative: KALAN / Profile

Creative Producer and Art Producer. After diverse creative activities including art, architecture, writing, music production, and working as staff for Takashi Murakami's "GEISAI," he participated in cultural projects in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, serving as an Art Producer. He has engaged in cross-genre activities such as planning and leading music projects, managing fashion and culture media, supporting artists, and operating galleries and art spaces. He plans and produces a wide range of art projects, including exhibitions and cultural events. In recent years, he has been promoting the dissemination and exchange of art and culture both domestically and internationally through international art platform initiatives.

Organizer: IL ART Inc. / Representative: KALAN

Creative Producer and Art Producer with a multidisciplinary background in art, architecture, writing, music production, and as a staff member of Takashi Murakami’s GEISAI. Later joined cultural initiatives in Meguro City, Tokyo, as an Art Producer. Has planned music projects, managed fashion and cultural media, supported artists, and operated galleries and art spaces, while producing exhibitions, cultural events, and cross-disciplinary art projects. Recently engaged in international art platform initiatives, promoting the global exchange of art and culture.