WABI-SABI by Damien Drew

Wabi-Sabi is loosely translated as the contemplation of the transient, understated beauty of the modest, imperfect, ephemeral or decaying. Drew’s exhibition expresses this notion through his unique perspective of modern day Japan. He carefully observes the melancholy beauty of the many towns and villages that have now become neglected and invites the viewer to consider beauty in the impermanence of all things, capturing and contrasting scenes and details that may be inconspicuous or overlooked.

Shinkoiwa, Tokyo. © Damien Drew.
Shinkoiwa, Tokyo. © Damien Drew.

Drew is also an award-winning Art Director and Production Designer whose film credits include Alien Covenant, Superman Returns, Star Wars, The Great Gatsby and The Matrix films.

“We love things that bear the marks of grime, soot, and weather, and we love the colours and the sheen that call to mind the past that made them.”
From Tanizaki, ‘In Praise of Shadows’ 1933.

Gallery hours Tues-Sunday 10am-6pm.

Kasama, Ibaraki. © Damien Drew.
Kasama, Ibaraki. © Damien Drew.
Asagya, Tokyo. © Damien Drew.
Asagya, Tokyo. © Damien Drew.
Shima Onsen Gunma. © Damien Drew.
Shima Onsen Gunma. © Damien Drew.
Shima Onsen 2 Gunma. © Damien Drew.
Shima Onsen 2 Gunma. © Damien Drew.
Mito Ibaraki. © Damien Drew.
Mito Ibaraki. © Damien Drew.

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

July

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.

August

Leica Store Gallery in both Sydney & Melbourne present a unique photographic dialogue between Steve McCurry and Jessie Brinkman Evans. Until late October.

Ballarat: 23 August – 19 October 2025. This year’s theme is Lifeforce, and it ties into an eight-week program of exhibitions, public art, talks, and workshops across more than 100 venues throughout Ballarat.

September

Melbourne: until 9 November. Man Ray and Max Dupain is the first major Australian exhibition to consider these two influential 20th century photographers side by side.

Melbourne: 13 September – 9 November 2025. Featuring selected finalists for the 2025 William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize.

October

Sydney: 15 October one off event. A night with Michele Aboud – acclaimed Australian photographer and filmmaker renowned for her compelling work in fashion, beauty, and portraiture.

Melbourne: 16 Oct – 26 Oct 2025. Conceptual photography exhibition.

Brisbane: 25 Oct – 4 Nov 2025. Jakob uses his late Grandfather's film camera alongside his own modern DSLR to create layered photographic works that blend analogue and digital, past and present, memory and re-imagination.

Melbourne: Oct 31 – Nov 6. Chimera is a photographic investigation into the shifting landscape of beauty in the age of artificial intelligence and social media.