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ABOUT ME

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PHOTO BY @exhispter

Juan Carlos Pinto

 

(b. 1980, Zacatecas, Mexico | Based in Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan)

Based for over a decade in Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan, Juan Carlos Pinto is a Mexican fine art and street photographer whose visual practice is rooted in literature. Before establishing his photographic career in Asia, his early artistic life was shaped by the written word: he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from the Autonomous University of Zacatecas, completed graduate studies in Spanish Literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), authored the short story collection El largo espejismo, and served as Deputy Director of the State Company of Oral Narration of Zacatecas.

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In his shift from prose to the lens, Pinto preserved an editorial discipline of deliberate restraint: the choice of what to omit holds as much weight as what remains visible. His compositions typically center on a single subject, engaging in quiet dialogue with its environment and the transience of ambient light. Moving away from overt human interaction, his gaze focuses instead on the subtle, often unseen resonance between human presence, space, and time, inviting viewers to perceive the extraordinary aesthetic layers embedded in daily life.

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His visual language bridges two distinct geographic sensibilities: the enduring memory of the sharp daylight and open skies of the Zacatecan semi-desert, and the contemplative quietude of Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics. Drawing further narrative depth from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, the Latin American Boom, and masters such as Fan Ho, Sam Abell, and George Nobechi, Pinto defines his process through an enduring balance: "Zacatecas is my substance, Japan is my catalyst." His ongoing work focuses on deepening this cultural synthesis, creating a reflective body of work that resonates between both horizons.

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Awards & Honors
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  • 2026 - 1st Place, Black & White Fine Art Series of the Year, MonoVisions Photography Awards (UK)

     

  • 2026 - Silver Medal, Better Photography Magazine Photographer of the Year (Australia)

     

  • 2025 - Bronze Medal, Better Photography Magazine Photographer of the Year (Australia)

     

  • 2025 - Bronze Medal, One Eyeland World’s Top 10 Black & White Photographers 2024 (India)

     

  • 2025 - 2nd Place, Nature Category, Monochrome Photography Awards

     

  • 2024 - Semifinalist, Exposure Category, Head On Photo Awards (Australia)

     

  • 2024 - Honorable Mention, Places Category, The Mono Awards (Australia)

     

  • 2024 - Top 50, Animals Category, The Mono Awards (Australia)

     

  • 2023 - Semifinalist, Landscape Category, Head On Photo Awards (Australia)

     

  • 2023 - Bronze Medal, Street Photography Category, PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris (France)

     

  • 2023 - Honorable Mention, "Conexión Calle" Street Photography Contest (Mexico)

     

  • 2023 - Semifinalist, Spaces Category, Urban Photo Awards (Italy)

     

  • 2023 - Semifinalist, Street Photography Category, Urban Photo Awards (Italy)

     

  • 2022 - Finalist, LensCulture Street Photography Awards (Netherlands)

     

  • 2022 - Selected Artist, "Nuestra huella en el planeta", Cuartoscuro Magazine Competition (Mexico)

     

  • 2022 - 3rd Place, Welcoming Wildlife, Royal Horticultural Society Photo Competition (UK)

     

  • 2021 - Bronze Medal, Architecture / Cityscapes, Tokyo International Foto Awards (Japan)

     

  • 2021 - International Runner-Up (2nd Place), Landscape Category, Head On Photo Awards (Australia)

     

  • 2021 - Honorable Mention, PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris (France)

     

  • 2020 - Selected Artist, "Con la Música por Dentro", Cuartoscuro Magazine Competition (Mexico)

     

  • 2019 - Finalist, Documentary Category, "Haz Clic con México 5" (Mexico)

     

  • 2019 - Finalist, #callegr3 Street Photography Contest, Pentax Ricoh España (Spain)

     

  • 2019 - Honorable Mention, One Shot: Street Photography, International Photography Awards (IPA)

     

  • 2018 - Jury Award, EPSON meet up! Selection (Japan)

     

  • 2018 - Artistic Catalog Selection, Fondo Ediciones Zacatecas, Zacatecan Institute of Culture (Mexico)

     

  • 2018 - Honorable Mention, Transportation Category, Mobile Photography Awards

     

  • 2018 - Tokyo Metropolis Excellence Award, All Japan Photo Exhibition Contest (Japan)

     

  • 2017 - Excellence Award, EPSON meet up! Selection (Japan)

     

  • 2017 - Honorable Mention, Street Photography Category, MonoVisions Photography Awards (UK)

     

  • 2017 - Selected Artist, "El tiempo", Cuartoscuro Magazine Competition (Mexico)

 
Solo Exhibitions
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  • 2026 (May 8 to 10): Wa ha Hibiki Au, Hayama Art & Music Festival 2026, Fujiwara Residence, Akiya, Yokosuka, Japan

     

  • 2025 (June 5 to 16): Ecos de la Impermanencia, Hotel del Arte Santa Rita, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2025 (April 21 to 25): Ecos de la Impermanencia, San Lázaro Legislative Palace, Mexico City, Mexico

     

  • 2024 (May 22 to 27): SORAMO MINAMO, Katacoto Gallery, Kamakura, Japan

     

  • 2022 (December 7 to 13): THE BUNKERS, Hankyu Men's, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2022 (January to June): Sora: el camino de regreso, Alicia Foto&Café, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2021 (August 24 to 29): The Bunkers, Morioka Shoten Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2021 (August 14 to September 1): The Bunkers, Ginza Golfing Society, Taiheiyo Club, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2021 (August 2 to 31): The Bunkers, Tsutaya Books, Shibuya Scramble Square, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2019 - 2020 (October to October): La misma luz, otros rastros y otros trazos, Alicia Galería y Café, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2020 (January 28 to February 17): salaryman: tokyo take two, Taberna MORGAN, Valladolid, Spain

     

  • 2019 (April 1 to 28): Cruel Sky, Red Soil, Starbucks Ikejiri 2-Chome, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2018 (October 3 to November 17): salaryman: tokyo take two, HacheQú, Valladolid, Spain

     

  • 2018 (March 14 to June 11): Los Rastros Solitarios de la Luz, Municipal Center of Culture of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2017 (June 1 to July 31): Hikari No Kodokuna Kiseki, Starbucks Daizawa 5-Chome, Tokyo, Japan

     

 
Group Exhibitions
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  • 2026 (March 25 to August 30): Archivos del afecto: Memorias familiares de la migración japonesa a México, National Museum of World Cultures (INAH), Mexico City, Mexico

     

  • 2025 (May 31 to June 30): Nueva Casa, Nuevas Miradas, Spectō Galería, Mexico City, Mexico

     

  • 2025 (June 18 to 20): Interior Lifestyle Tokyo 2025, Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2024 (November 8 to December 1): Head On Photo Awards Semifinalists Exhibition, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney, Australia

     

  • 2023 (November 11 to December 3): Head On Photo Awards Semifinalists Exhibition, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney, Australia

     

  • 2023 (October 6 to November 18): URBAN Unveils the City and Its Secrets, Palazzo delle Poste Centrali, Trieste, Italy

     

  • 2023 (May 3 to 5): Tokyo Street Photography Festival, TERRANOVA HOUSE, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2022 (September 2): MEXIKANO, Embassy of Mexico in Japan, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2022 (August 19 to 30): Urban Landscape, RogArt Street Campus, Glasgow, Scotland

     

  • 2022 (July 16 to August 25): Nuestra Huella en el Planeta, Museum of Journalism and Graphic Arts (MUPAG), Guadalajara, Mexico

     

  • 2022 (July 16 to August 25): Nuestra Huella en el Planeta, Fototeca de Zacatecas "Pedro Valtierra", Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2020 (October 9 to 25): Art Range: Social Distancing, Travelling exhibition across multiple venues, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2020 (September 17 to 21): World Art Tokyo SatelliteS, Tokyo Art Fair, Terrada Art Complex II, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2019 (August 9 to 13): Tokyo Unknown, TERRANOVA House, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2019 (March 7 to 10): World Art Tokyo 2019, Tokyo Art Fair, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2018 (September 4 to 10): All Japan Photo Exhibition 2018, The Gallery 1, Nikon Plaza Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2018 (April 27 to May 10): Meet Up! Exhibition, Epson Imaging Gallery (epSITE), Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2018 (April): Art & Photography Class Exhibition, Temple University Japan Campus, Design Festa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2018 (March 1 to 4): EPSON meet up! Selection Winners Showcase, Epson Pavilion, CP+ 2018, Yokohama, Japan

     

  • 2017 (July 14 onwards): El tiempo, Cuartoscuro Magazine Competition Exhibition, Fototeca de Zacatecas "Pedro Valtierra", Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2016 (December): Art & Photography Class Exhibition, Temple University Japan Campus, Design Festa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

     

  • 2016 (April): Art & Photography Class Exhibition, Temple University Japan Campus, Design Festa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

     

 
Photobooks
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  • 2025 - Jikō・Kyōkai, KAMI Photobooks, Spain

     

  • 2023 - Buke Sado, ENYSi, Japan

     

  • 2021 - The Bunkers, ENYSi, Japan

     

  • 2021 - Rees’ Bunker, ENYSi, Japan

     

  • 2019 - 光の孤独な軌跡 / Los rastros solitarios de la luz / The Solitary Traces of Light, Texere Editores, Mexico

     

 
Selected Print Media & Features

  • 2025 - "Ecos de la Impermanencia", La Gualdra Cultural Supplement No. 672, La Jornada Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2022 - "Sora: el camino de regreso", La Gualdra Cultural Supplement No. 507, La Jornada Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2022 - "Nuestra Huella en el Planeta" Feature, Cuartoscuro Magazine Issue 173, Mexico

     

  • 2020 - "Con la Música por Dentro" Feature, Cuartoscuro Magazine Issue 164, Mexico

     

  • 2019 - "La Misma Luz, Otros Rastros, Otros Trazos", La Gualdra Cultural Supplement No. 405, La Jornada Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2018 - "Los Rastros Solitarios de la Luz" Feature, Cuartoscuro Magazine Issue 149, Mexico

     

  • 2017 - "El Tiempo" Contest Feature, Cuartoscuro Magazine Issue 144, Mexico

     

 
Lectures & Artist Talks
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  • 2023 (May 23): Two Notes on Aesthetics and One on the City, LOCAL Zacatecas, Universidad de la Vera-Cruz, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2022 (December 12): Binational Photographic Expressions Between Mexico and Japan, 3rd Seminar on Latin American Literature and Culture, University of Colima and Centro de Actualización del Magisterio Zacatecas, Mexico

     

  • 2019 (October 15): The Solitary Traces of Light, La Cofradía, Zacatecas, Mexico

     

 
Education & Professional Studies
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  • 2023 - Professional Certificate in Photographic Editing, taught by Dr. Oscar Colorado

     

  • 2023 - Professional Certificate in Documentary Photography, taught by Dr. Oscar Colorado

     

  • 2023 - Professional Certificate in Fine Art Photography, Zona Cero, taught by Dr. Oscar Colorado

     

  • 2022 - Photographic Editing Workshop, Zona Cero, taught by Dr. Oscar Colorado and Ulises Castellanos

     

  • 2022 - Color Management in Photography, taught by César Guzmán "Celacanto"

     

  • 2022 - Black and White Fine Art Photography, taught by César Guzmán "Celacanto"

     

  • 2018 - Certificate in Fine Art Photography and Digital Imaging, Temple University Japan Campus

     

  • 2018 - Art and Photography III, Temple University Japan Campus, taught by Dr. Shinya B. Watanabe

     

  • 2016 - Art and Photography II, Temple University Japan Campus, taught by Dr. Shinya B. Watanabe

     

  • 2016 - Art and Photography I, Temple University Japan Campus, taught by Dr. Shinya B. Watanabe

     

  • 2007 - Master of Arts in Spanish Literature (Coursework completed, thesis in progress), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

     

  • 2003 - Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ)

​Images © Juan Carlos Pinto

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