The Vancouver Art Gallery will introduce Enemy Alien: Tamio Wakayama on October 3rd. This is the first major retrospective of documentary photographer Tamio Wakayama. This exhibition—his first solo show—brings together over 300 photographs spanning more than fifty years. Wakayama’s work chronicles social justice movements and showcases the lives of communities throughout Canada and the United States. His work reveals stories of resistance, joy, and cultural resilience, and it’s raw, tragic, and beautiful.
Wakayama was born in New Westminster in 1941. His family was among the 22,000 Japanese Canadians interned during World War II. Labeled “Enemy Aliens,” they lost their property and were sent to camps in the B.C. interior. These early hardships deeply influenced Wakayama’s lifelong commitment to photography and activism.
By the 1970s, Wakayama had returned to Vancouver. There, he opened a photography studio. He became a dedicated member of the Japanese Canadian community. Over the decades, he documented cultural life and the redress movement, a key force in rebuilding the community.
Vancouver artist and independent curator Paul Wong, who knew Wakayama personally, curates the exhibition. “I remember seeing Tamio at the Powell Street Festival in the 1970s, always with his cameras, passionately recording his community,” recalls Wong. “Together, we worked on projects that showcased his rare gift for capturing stories of resilience, struggle, and celebration. Curating this retrospective is an honour—and long overdue.”
Enemy Alien is divided into three sections. The first explores Wakayama’s time photographing the Civil Rights Movement in the American South as he documented grassroots activism by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The second presents everyday life in Canada, Japan, and Cuba—featuring portraits of Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan and the Doukhobors of B.C. The final section turns its lens on Vancouver, highlighting Wakayama’s pivotal work with Japanese Canadian history and diaspora.
The exhibition includes Cindy Mochizuki’s 2024 documentary, Between Pictures: The Lens of Tamio Wakayama. Using archival footage, animation, and interviews, the film traces how Wakayama’s experiences with the American Civil Rights Movement inspired his return to Vancouver and his vision for documenting the Japanese Canadian community’s spirit.
Opening shortly after the anniversary of the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement, Enemy Alien reflects on the powerful role of art in preserving memories and confronting injustice. The exhibition runs from October 3, 2025, to February 22, 2026. Admission is free for visitors under 18, caregivers, and Indigenous Peoples, with additional access passes and memberships available for extended benefits.
A new publication accompanies the exhibition, featuring Wakayama’s previously unpublished memoir, Soul on Rice; essays by Eva Respini and Paul Wong; and an interview with Wakayama’s longtime partner, Mayumi Takasaki.
Details
- Exhibition Dates: October 3, 2025 – February 22, 2026
- Location: Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
- Admission: Included with general admission (free for visitors under 18, caregivers and Indigenous Peoples)
- Prices: Adults $29, Seniors $20, Students $18, Gallery Access Pass $5/month or $58/year (unlimited entry to all exhibitions)
- Hours: Daily 10 am – 5 pm, Tuesdays until 9 pm
Images courtesy of the Vancouver Art Gallery
Mary in Vancity 
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