Female Force from Japan: 12 Noteworthy New Photographers

Despite its specific frame on a subset of practitioners in Japan, the images in this exhibition capture a broad vision of life in the country. There are images that look at the world through a soft and delicate lens—Hiromi Kakimoto’s photographs from “Dream World,” for example, one of which features multi-colored pink balloons floating gently in a room illuminated with bright but velvety light. Contrasted to this aesthetic, however, are images from Tokyo Rumando’s series “Orphee” (the cover of this article), which put on display a bold and unapologetic scrutiny of the female form. Rumando’s series contains a set of self-portraits printed in black and white, the strong lighting transforming her into a mysterious but powerful figure. Behind her, presented directly to the camera, is an unmistakable symbol of femalehood. Continue reading.