Ryan Bruss Artist Portfolio | Tokyo based Artist & Professor
Ryan Bruss concentrates on the play of light and interaction with the subject to produce dynamic reflections of people and fashions in motion. RB photography & media provides fashion, beauty, commercial and SNS photography, video, and media management services for exclusive brands and businesses.
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Biography - Exhibition History

Ryan A Bruss (ライアン・ A. ブラス) フォトグラファー略歴
1979年6月7日、アメリカ合衆国オレゴン州ポートランド生まれ。ブラス氏は認知言語学で修士号を有し、現在は東京の明 治学院大学にてクリエイティブ・ライティングおよび言語学で教鞭をとっている。日本在住歴15年以上のブラス氏は、大学 教授としてだけでなく、プロのフォトグラファーとしても活躍している。フォトグラファーとしては、ラルフローレン、メルセデス ベンツ、ヴォーグといった著名なクライアントを抱えている。彼の学術的な専門分野である概念メタファー理論を教授としての研究分野だけでなく写真の領域においても活用し、言語と映像を通して日本文化についての研究を重ねている。

ブラス氏は学術的な仕事においては、認知言語学の理論を日本語独特の構造に当てはめ日本語におけるメタファー(比 喩)を中心に研究をしている。修士号の論文である”Amae and the Gendered Identity of Cute: Framing Young Women as Sweet in the Japanese Mass Media”(「甘えと可愛いの性的アイデンティティ:日本のマスメディアが若い女性をスイートとい う枠組みに落とし込んでいる」)は、出版され、数ヶ国語に翻訳されている。この研究は漢字の「甘」に焦点を当て、この概 念の認知的構造を使い、日本での「キュート」、「可愛い」について解説、解釈をしている。ブラス氏は英語教育に用いられ る認知言語学理論を昇華させた独自の理論を、彼自身の日本文化と日本語、特に漢字の研究に応用している。

近年では、日本語のメタファーの研究を「自己」、特に「内/外」に当てはめ、イタリアのアート雑誌の『Graphie(グラフィエ)』 に記事が掲載され、また”Shadows of Japanese Moss Gardens: Uchi Soto Cognitive Resonance”(「日本の苔庭の影:内と外 の認知的共鳴音」)というテーマで撮影した作品群での展覧会をイタリアのチェゼーナにあるギャラリーのIl Vicolo(イル・ ヴィコロ)で行った。この展覧会では、日本における「自己」という概念を表現しているものとして日本庭園に焦点を当ててい る。

フォトグラファーとしては、光の淵に焦点を置いている。プロのフォトグラファーとして日本で15年の経験を有し、ソニーなど のトップブランド、アラン・ウォーカーをはじめとしたトップアーティスト、コシノジュンコなどのファッションアイコンの撮影にも 従事している。東京を拠点としていながらも、独特なスタイルによって、国内外のクライアントからの依頼を受けている。また ビデオグラファーとしては、アンドレア・ポンピリ氏と共同制作したドキュメンタリー “Tokyo Toilets”(「東京のトイレ事情」)は、 2021年ミラノデザインフィルムフェスティバルをはじめ6つの映画祭に選出された。

Born in Portland, Oregon 1979/6/7, Ryan Bruss has a M.A. in Cognitive Linguistics and is currently a professor of creative writing and linguistics at MeijiGakuin in Tokyo, JP.  He has lived in Japan for over 15 years working both as a professor and professional photographer with clients such as Ralph Lauren, Mercedes Benz, and Vogue.  Applying his background in metaphor theory to both professions, he explores Japanese culture both through language and images.

Ryan Bruss`s academic work focuses on metaphors in the Japanese language using cognitive linguistic theories which he adapts to the unique structure of the Japanese language.   His masters thesis  “Amae and the Gendered Identity of Cute: Framing Young Women as Sweet in the Japanese Mass Media” has been published and translated in multiple languages.   This research focused on the Japanese kanji for sweet (甘) and the cognitive structure of this concept which he used to explain and translate the Japanese concept of cute or “kawaii.”  Using cognitive linguistic theories designed the English language, Ryan has innovated these academic theories for his original research on Japanese culture and language, specifically using kanji.

Recently he has used his work on Japanese metaphors for the self, specifically uchi/soto (inside/out) to both publish articles in the art magazine Graphie in Italy, but also was exhibited at Il Vicolo in his show: “Shadows of Japanese Moss Gardens: Uchi Soto Cognitive Resonance.”  This exhibition focused on Japanese gardens as expressions of the Japanese concept of the self.

As a photographer Ryan focuses on the edges of light.  Working in Japan, he has 15 years of experience shooting for top brands such as Sony, top artists like Alan Walker, and fashion icons such as Junko Koshino.  His unique style has brought him clients globally though he is based in Tokyo, JP.  He also works in videography and was recognized with co-director Andrea Pompili for an architectural documentary titled “Tokyo Toilets” that was selected for 6 film festivals including the 2021 Milano Design Film Festival.

Art Exhibitions, Filmography, & Media

Exhibitions

Tokyo Toilets.
May, 2022. Curated by Marisa Zattini at Il Vicolo Galery.  Cesena, Italy.

Kinbaku & Kimonos.
December, 2021.  Curated by Marisa Zattini at Il Vicolo Gallery.  Cesena, Italy.

Tuorloblue: Italian & Japanese culinary resonance.
November, 2021. Curated by Marisa Zattini at Il Vicolo Gallery. Cesena, Italy. http://tuorloblue.com

Shadows of Japanese Moss Gardens: Uchi- Soto.
Curated by Marisa Zattini at Il Vicolo Gallery. September, 2021. Cesena, Italy.

Filmography

Documentary: Tokyo Toilets.

Directed and produced with Andrea Pompili.
Official Selection at Milano Design Film Festival 2021, New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA) 2022, & European Cinematography Awards (ECA) 2022.

Interviews

Interview: Una sfida alla natura universal nelle foto dei Giardini giapponesi.  Written by Marcello Tosi. Cutura e Spetacoli, Corriere Romagna.
October, 2021.

Interview: I Giardini giapponesi nelle fotografie di Ryan Bruss.
Written by Emanuele Chesi. Il resto del Carlino.
October, 2021.

Awards

Official Selection: International World Photography Awards.  2022

Published Books

“Boy Story 2”.  Rhetorical Criticism 3rd Edition. Sonja K. Foss  412-415.

Published Articles

“Shadows of Japanese Moss Gardens: Uchi Soto Cognitie Resonance”.
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “,Anno XXII ,N.93, 2020

“Tuorlo Blue: Italian and Japanese cultural resonance and creativity”.
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “,Anno XXII ,N.93, 2020

“Sweet Appropriation: Amae, Metaphors, & Gender Identity in Japan.”
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “, Anno XXII ,N.94, 2020

“Chikuunsai IV Tanabe: An Interview.”
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “, Anno XXIII ,N.95, 2021

“Ryan Bruss & Maeda Kamari: a proposito di Haiku.”
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “, Anno XXIII ,N.95, 2021

“Sacro e Profano.”
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “, Anno XXIII ,N.96, 2021

“The Japanese Cultural Logic of the Self and Space: redefining the subject via uchi conceptual metaphors for the self”
Quarterly Art and Literature Magazine Graphie, Rivista trimestrale di Arte e Letteratura, ed. IL VICOLO, ISSN 2281-9363: Title Article, Radiographie, “Ultramondi “,Anno XXII ,N.93, 2020