Bacon Ice Cream by Yoshiyuki Okuyama

Ten years into his career, Japanese photographer Yoshiyuki Okuyama has teamed up with Taiwanese star designer Aaron Nieh to release a new edition of his 2015 photobook, “Bacon Ice Cream.” This collaboration marks a distinct shift from the original’s vibrant, highly saturated visuals to Nieh’s more subdued, deconstructive design philosophy. The revised “Bacon Ice Cream” incorporates two different types of paper, uniquely bound using a specialized stitching technique, lending the publication the feel of a finely crafted niche art book wholly devoted to Okuyama’s photographic work.

The content spans various genres, from Okuyama’s personal art projects to his commercial endeavors, presenting a dynamic exploration of youth through its vivid lights, colors, and forms. This collection of fragmented moments and shapes forms a kaleidoscopic view of the world as perceived by the youth of today. With Nieh’s innovative design approach, Okuyama’s vision is recontextualized for a new audience.

Reflecting on the creative process, Okuyama shares, “Caught daily in the tug-of-war between convention and contradiction, I find myself favoring one today and the other tomorrow. Before I know it, I am creating something new as I dash back and forth between these extremes. For me, this is what creativity entails: a constant oscillation between polarities, continually fostering new expressions.”