“My Mother’s Drawer”
I found a strange thing in my mother’s drawer. It was my younger brother’s and my umbilical cords. So if mothers carefully store these I thought there might be weirder finds, and that’s why I began to photograph my mother’s drawer. Things she should throw out, things that bring back memories, things that bring tears. A lot of things were found. Many mothers must have the same things in their drawers. It’s my hope that the general image of a mother could be seen in these photos.
Lastly, I am very grateful to my mother who cooperated with my photography.
Selecting judge: Nobuyoshi Araki
She has a clear-cut concept, concentration, and an overall cohesiveness. Each small subject photographed speaks of a mother’s long life. Traces of birth, death, hope, and love are recognized. It’s almost like reading a novel. However, that life isn’t a great hero’s career, it’s a commonplace individual’s humble, earnest life. That’s where the weight of this work rooted in reality comes from. Further, despite the density, this work has avoided enka-type (Japanese ballad-type) gloominess. In contrast, I’d like to give high praises in that it seems to emit the full life of Japanese women who thrived in post-war Japan.
