Eikoh Hosoe: A Pioneer of Avant-Garde Photography
Eikoh Hosoe, a groundbreaking photographer renowned for his avant-garde approach, passed away on September 16 in Tokyo at the age of 91. His death, attributed to an adrenal gland tumor, occurred in a hospital, as confirmed by his son, Kenji.
Hosoe was instrumental in revolutionizing the realm of postwar Japanese art, crafting surreal and often erotically charged images that delved deep into themes of life, death, and sexuality, while also reflecting the ominous specter of the nuclear age. His innovative vision transcended traditional photographic practices, reshaping how art was perceived in Japan during a time of profound change.
Yasufumi Nakamori, the editor of the 2021 publication Eikoh Hosoe: Pioneering Post-1945 Japanese Photography, remarked on Hosoe’s transformative impact. In his introductory essay, he stated, “Mr. Hosoe transcended the conventions of photographic practice. He transformed the ways in which we think about photography and overhauled what it meant to be a professional photographer in post-1945 Japan. Artistically, intellectually, and geographically, he helped liberate the medium from its insular past.” Nakamori, who serves as the vice president of arts and culture at the Asia Society and directs its museum, added, “There was no artist like him.”
Hosoe’s photographic style was a unique blend of cinematic and painterly elements. His second solo exhibition, titled Man and Woman, held in 1960, showcased nudes that he composed as if they were abstract sculptural objects — still lifes that were both breathtaking and provocative. One striking image captures a man’s muscular arm cradling a woman’s seemingly disembodied head, her wide and startled eyes invoking a sense of mystery and intrigue.
In “Man and Woman, No. 20,” a photograph from this landmark exhibition, the composition serves as a testament to Hosoe’s artistic vision, merging beauty with a haunting quality.
During the mid-1960s, Hosoe collaborated with the renowned dancer and choreographer Tatsumi Hijikata, a close friend, casting him as the mythical Kamaitachi. This figure, an evil spirit taking the form of a weasel with razor-sharp claws, was depicted haunting rice fields and preying upon unsuspecting farmers. Through this collaboration, Hosoe continued to explore the intersections of performance, mythology, and photography, further cementing his legacy as a pioneering figure in the world of contemporary art.
