© Mitsuru Wakabayashi
Leica Camera Japan is pleased to present “Dérive”, a solo exhibition by photographer Mitsuru Wakabayashi, at Leica Gallery Kyoto.
As he walks through the city, there are moments when a particular scene unexpectedly captures his attention. Mitsuru Wakabayashi has spent years photographing these fleeting encounters.
Rather than searching for extraordinary places or dramatic events, Wakabayashi finds inspiration in the subtle details of everyday life. Drawn by a passing scene, he pauses, releases the shutter, and preserves a moment that might otherwise go unnoticed. Through the quiet accumulation of such encounters, his photographic vision has taken shape.
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© Mitsuru Wakabayashi
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© Mitsuru Wakabayashi
The exhibition title, Dérive, is a French term meaning "drift." Developed by the Situationist International movement in the 1950s, the concept describes a way of experiencing the city not merely as a route between destinations, but through wandering and responding intuitively to its atmosphere and surroundings.
Wakabayashi encountered the concept while reflecting on his own long-standing approach to photography. Although he often could not explain why a particular place drew his attention, the act of walking without purpose and responding intuitively to what appeared before him resonated deeply with the idea of dérive. Rather than introducing a new perspective, the concept gave a name to a sensibility that had always been present in his work.
The photographs presented in this exhibition capture neither iconic landmarks nor carefully constructed narratives. Instead, they reveal the subtle interplay of light, atmosphere, traces of human presence, and the passage of time embedded in everyday landscapes. Through his observations of chance encounters discovered while wandering, Wakabayashi invites viewers to pause, look again, and discover new perspectives within the familiar world around them.
I always walk through the city without a destination.
Guided by the direction of the light and the presence of people,
I move forward and photograph the scenes I encounter along the way.
At the time, I never knew exactly why I stopped in a particular place.
Only later did I come across the concept of Dérive ("drift"),
proposed by the French thinker Guy Debord.
When we surrender ourselves to the city and wander without a predetermined destination, overlooked landscapes begin to reveal their meaning.
Every scene becomes equal, and the world opens itself as it is.
The idea did not give me a new perspective.
Rather, it provided a name for a feeling I had carried with me for a long time.
The world is always open to us.
A landscape does not exist because someone assigns value to it.
I simply hope to remain someone who can quietly surrender to its presence.
Mitsuru Wakabayashi
Photo Exhibition Overview
| Title | Mitsuru Wakabayashi Exhibition: Dérive |
| Date & Venue |
3 October 2026 - 3 December 2026 Leica Gallery Kyoto (Leica Store Kyoto 2F) 570-120 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Tel: 075-532-0320 Closed on Mondays * Please be advised that dates and times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. |
Mitsuru Wakabayashi
Born in Kyoto Prefecture, Mitsuru Wakabayashi transitioned from the apparel industry to photography in 2016. He began sharing his work primarily through Instagram, gradually expanding his practice and building a client base both in Japan and abroad. Today, he works between Kyoto and Tokyo, undertaking commissions for advertising, editorial publications, and digital media.
As an ongoing personal project, Wakabayashi walks through cities and travels with a camera, documenting seemingly ordinary moments encountered along the way. While people often appear within his photographs, they are rarely the primary subject. Instead, his work focuses on the surrounding landscape and atmosphere, creating evocative images that invite viewers to imagine their own narratives.
His work includes commissions for cultural institutions such as Kifune Shrine, as well as collaborations with a wide range of commercial clients. In addition to commissioned projects, he regularly presents his work through exhibitions.
Wakabayashi is also a member of the YouTube channel Kyoto Boys, where he shares his passion for Kyoto, travel, and photography.
A photobook titled Dérive, published in conjunction with this exhibition, is scheduled for release in Autumn 2026.
Leica Gallery Kyoto
570-120 Gionmachi minamigawa Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City
Kyoto
Japan