TOMIYA MASAKO
KITO
Published by Chose Commune, 2017
Book size 22 x 27 cm
Pages 38 photographs / 80 pages
Hardcover
Languages French / English / Japanese
ISBN: 979-10-96383-02-3
©HoTeng Chang
Masako Tomiya is a photographer originally from the region of Aomori, northern Japan. She has lived in Tokyo for years, and one day, she received news that her sister and sister-in-law, who live near her hometown, were both pregnant. This news inspired Tomiya's series Kito, a reflection on identity, family, transmission and the passing of time.
“Kito” means “homeward” in Japanese. Inverted, “toki” takes on a completely different meaning: “time”. In her poetic series, Tomiya plays with this dual sense. Her reflective photographic journey is undertaken with a subtle meditation on nature, and its seasonal transformation, alongside a representation of human life through women. Tomiya stages self-portraits and captures the daily lives of her mother, sisters and newborns, to explore how her sense of home has altered with time. - publisher statement
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Masako Tomiya, a photographer from the Aomori region in northern Japan, has been living in Tokyo for several years. One day, she learns that her sister and sister-in-law – who both live near her home village – are expecting a child. This news is the starting point for a reflection on identity, family, transmission and the passage of time.
"Kito" means "the way back" in Japanese. Inverted, "Toki", the word takes on a completely different meaning: "time". This double meaning brings into view the main themes of this poetic series. If nature, transformed through the seasons, is very present, human figures - represented exclusively by women - are just as much. Masako Tomiya stages herself through self-portraits, and also captures scenes of daily life in which her mother, her sisters and their newborns appear. - written by the publisher