AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH YU+MA

The photography duo (yu+ma): Yuji and Mari Oboshi began their extraordinary collaboration in 2010.

- ARIEL SU

They share an interest in the intersection between 1920s French porn, modern art, ruins, and sustainable fashion. Their high sensitivity to beauty, aesthetics, artistic photography, passion, and dedication led them to a successful career, working in new Your City and creating campaigns for leading fashion brands around the globe. 

yu+ma's work has been published internationally, including in the New York Times Style Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE Magazine, L'OFFICIEL, TRAFFIC-news-to-go, Her World, TATLER Hong Kong (HK), TWILL Magazine (IT), CULTURE Magazine (AU).

In this Interview article, we have the pleasure of presenting several projects and discovering their journey and unique point of view based on the Japanese mentality and beliefs.

LENS MAGAZINE: Thank you for this interview, Mari, featuring your work and discovering more about your exciting duo photography team.

What is your background in photography? What drew you to gain experience and develop your artistic knowledge, talents, and skills as an image-maker? Who are the people who mainly influenced your photography journey?

YU+MA: We, Mari Maeda, and Yuji Oboshi, started a Photography duo in the name of '(yu+ma)' in New York City in 2009. We met while working for Kenji Toma, a renowned still-life photographer based in NY.

Yuji had photography education and professional training in Japan, and Mari had photography education and professional training in the US.