Ari Salomon’s work is rooted in reinterpreting the tradition of street photography. He reimagines the performative act of uncovering candid moments and infuses it with a conceptual perspective that challenges traditional narratives. He is also interested in how photography can help us see the nature and limitations of human perception.

Often very different from one another in form, his projects share a conceptual interest in what photography can reveal about shared experience and the gap between sensing and understanding. 

Recent solo exhibitions include Interface at the Kyotographie festival (2024) and the series 6 Feet Apart at the Head On festival in Sydney and the Transmission Gallery in San Francisco (2023). 

Recent group exhibitions include Memento Mori | Memento Vivere at the Marin Art and Garden Center (Curated by Trisha Lagaso Goldberg), The New World at Minnesota Street Project (curated by Sandra Philips) and  Uncanny Beauty at Harvey Milk Photography Center (curated by Emmanuelle Namont).

Born in Israel and relocating to the United States at a young age, he discovered his passion for photography during his high school years in San Diego.

He earned a B.A. in Art History with a concentration on contemporary art theory and studio photography from the University of California, Santa Cruz, inspired by great professors such as Victor Burgin and Geoffrey Batchen.

His artistic journey saw recognition in various exhibitions, notably being selected for Hey Hot Shot! at Jen Bekman Gallery and EMERGE at Gen Art in 2007 for his project, 18 Rue. In 2009, he presented a solo exhibition featuring panoramic photographs at the SFMOMA Artists Gallery at Fort Mason.

In 2010, he transformed the street-level display cases at the SFMOMA Minna and Natoma windows into large-scale light boxes. The Motion Studies series received solo exhibitions at 4×5 Gallery in 2014 and Dzine in 2015 and in Kyoto in 2020.

His involvement in the photography community includes participating in portfolio reviews including Review Santa Fe, FotoFest Houston, Photo Lucida Portland, and the inaugural PhotoAlliance review in San Francisco in 2007.

For over 15 years, Ari has played an active role in both participating in and organizing exhibitions as part of his membership with the Bay Area Photographers Collective.

Most summers, he resides in Japan, where he explores the intricate urban landscape through various series. In 2018, his work was showcased in Japan for the first time at Photo Yokohama, and he later celebrated his inaugural solo exhibition in Japan at Dojidai Gallery in Kyoto, as part of Kyotographie KG+, in 2020.

He has been represented by The SFMOMA Artists Gallery and PHOTO Oakland.

Ari is also a graphic designer & WordPress expert who enjoys building websites for artists and a wide variety of other clients.