LOUNGE /
BOOK
March 14, 2017
MOIMOI: A Finnish greeting meaning "Hi!" | ART
KYURYUDO | Kyuryudo
I've fallen into a beautiful Finnish obsession,
and I can't seem to escape.
The new photobook "MOIMOI: I'm by Your Side" by Miho Kakuta, a female photographer known for her works characterized by soft, beautiful light, has been released. "MOIMOI," used in the book's title, is a Finnish greeting meaning "Hi!" The book gently unfolds with photographs of people and animals living with a sense of freedom, encountered in the rich nature and beautiful cityscapes of Finland, a country she has been photographing for 10 years, accompanied by her personal comments.
Photographs by Miho Kakuta
Miho Kakuta's "Gentle Finnish Moments"
In this book, readers can experience the charm of Finland's true face, which cannot be encountered on a typical tourist visit. This includes the never-setting sun appearing on the water's edge during the midnight sun, a Sami family living with reindeer—which are livestock in Finland—as if they were family, the annual reindeer sorting day, and a husky farm where 400 husky dogs live for dog sledding. Though Finland is a distant country from Japan, the warm relationship between humans and animals in their everyday lives is conveyed, prompting one to reflect on the relationship between nature and humans that the Japanese once maintained for so long.
All photographs were taken with a Hasselblad, resulting in a square format. Shot on negative film, they are hand-printed by the artist in her own darkroom. While the style has a bright impression, it is not overexposed; the characteristic softness is achieved through the skillful use of light.
"MOIMOI: I'm by Your Side"
Author: Miho Kakuta
190 x 190 mm, Softcover, 112 pages
(89 color plates)
Price: ¥2,300 (¥2,530 including tax)
Miho Kakuta: Born in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture in 1977. Alongside her work shooting for magazines, CD jackets, and fashion brand catalogs, she creates art based on travel, focusing on light, daily life, and nature, as well as the concept of duality. She continues to publish a series of photobooks titled "NOTE BOOK" themed around the landscapes and people of Finland and Bhutan. Her previous works include "Afururu" (self-published, 2009), "dog photographer" (Shōeisha, 2009), "How to Take Photos: A Basic Book"
(Mycom, 2010), "How to Take Soft and Cute Photos Notebook" (Impress Japan, 2010), and "Kirari Kirari" (Pie International, 2013). She has held numerous solo and group exhibitions since 2004.
*Solo Exhibition Commemorating the Release of "MOIMOI: I'm by Your Side"*
February 23 - April 16: Nadiff modern, Bunkamura, Shibuya
March 17 - April 3: BOOK MARUTE Gallery, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture (Slide & Talk Event on March 18)
April 19 - May 8: ONREADING, Nagoya (Slide & Talk Event on May 7)
May 12 - May 31: iiba Gallery, Kobe
July 1 - 16: uta no tane, Tokushima
This will be followed by exhibitions at Shiori-bi in Nagano and BOOKS f3 in Niigata.
Inquiries
Kyuryudo
Tel. 03-3239-3382
http://www.kyuryudo.co.jp