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Eikoh hosoe
Eikoh hosoe
Eikoh Hosoe grew up in Japan during World War II and participated in the Experimental Arts Movement of post-World War II Japan. He is known for high contrast photos and explorations of the human body. His work explores intense topics from religion and mythology to eroticism and death. I was drawn to the wildness of some of his photographs, featuring people leaping through the air like birds, wearing heavy make up like masks, and moving with intense drama and emotion.
Top Left: Kamaitachi #8, 1965. Bottom Left: Kazuo Ohno, 1996. Bottom Right: Kazuo Ohno, Dancing in the Kushiro Marshland IV, 1994.
Questions for Looking
Questions for Looking
Eikoh Hosoe was born in 1933, lived through World War II, and witnessed the firebombing of Tokyo as a child. His family was forced to evacuate the city. Do you believe his experiences living through the war influenced his work? If so, how?
Hosoe photographed many of his artist friends, including those whose performances pushed the boundaries of gender identity. In many US states, these images would not be allowed to be studied in schools and, in at least one state (Tennessee), would be illegal to recreate because it involves dressing “in drag.” Why do you believe some people find these images so threatening? Do you think they would have been equally subversive in the context of Japanese culture in the 1960s? Why or why not?
Hosoe is known for high contrast photographs with intense blacks and whites, and minimal tones in between. Why do you think he makes this choice? What do you think these qualities add to his work and what is he trying to communicate through them? Do you think he does this successfully?
Hosoe’s images are often surreal and at times disorienting. The human body and human expression are focal points. The expressions on the faces of people he photographs are often dramatic, and sometimes painful: sorrowful, scared, surprised, anguished, wild, and arguably angry. Do you believe his dark photos and depictions of extreme emotion are meant to portray a dark view of humanity in general? A warning about what we can become? Or something else?
Hosoe photographs many people nude or only partially clothed – including at least a few photographs of young children. Do you believe it is ever ethical to photograph children nude? If so, why and in what contexts might it not be acceptable? If not, why not, and are there exceptions?
Further reading
Further reading
Hosoe, Eikoh, and Kazuo Ohno. Butterfly dream. Kyoto: Seigensha, 2006. ISBN 4-86152-092-4.
https://pen-online.com/arts/simmon-a-private-landscape-geographie-intime/
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