Hatakeyama Naoya studied with photographer Otsuji Kiyoji until 1981. He completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Tsukuba in 1984, shortly after he had his first solo exhibition in Tokyo’s Zeit-Foto Salon in 1983. He has held solo exhibitions at such renowned international institutions as the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (2011) and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2012), while his group exhibitions include the Venice Biennale (2001). His work is found in the collections of some of the most distinguished museums worldwide. His many awards include the Kimura Ihei Memorial Photography Award in 1997, the Photographer of the Year Award from the Photographic Society of Japan in 2003, and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize in 2012. In addition, he contributed to the Japan Pavilion that won the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2012 Venice Biennale’s International Architecture Exhibition.