Invocation of Beauty: The Life and Photography of Soichi Sunami

This exhibition and accompanying publication was the first in-depth study of the life and photography of Soichi Sunami (1885-1971).

Born in Okayama, Japan, Soichi Sunami arrived in Seattle in 1907 and began a career that would soon lead to international recognition.  Working with other accomplished local photographers, his artistic use of the camera focused primarily on the Northwest landscape which he depicted in poetic, atmospheric impressions.

He found employment in Ella McBride’s legendary photography studio and advanced his skills with her partner Wayne Albee, one of the region’s most talented photographers of the period. McBride’s studio became a nexus for regional arts and culture through their association with Seattle’s Cornish School whose founder, Nellie Cornish had connections with many of the important modern dancers of the period. These included Anna Pavlova, Ruth St. Denis,  Ted Shawn and Martha Graham. Besides documenting their local performances, Sunami and the photographers of the McBride Studio persuaded many of the dancers to model for their artistic compositions that were featured in the most important salons of the day.

As an artistic photographer, Sunami began winning awards in the prestigious Frederick & Nelson Salons beginning in 1920 before moving to New York City in 1922 to pursue his art studies. After opening his first commercial studio in New York, he began a five-year collaboration with Martha Graham whom he had known from Seattle. He produced some of the most striking early images of the iconic dancer.