Japanese photographer Masao Yamamoto (born 1957) trained as an oil painter before discovering that photography was the ideal medium for the theme that most interested him—the ability of the image to evoke memories. Small Things in Silence surveys the 20-year career of one of Japan's most important photographers. Yamamoto's portraits, landscapes and still lifes are made into small, delicate prints, which the photographer frequently overpaints, dyes or steeps in tea. Edited and sequenced by Yamamoto himself, this volume includes images from each of the photographer's major projects—Box of Ku, Nakazora, Kawa and Shizuka—as well as installation shots of some of Yamamoto's original photographic installations. In the words of Yamamoto himself: "I try to capture moments that no one sees and make a photo from them. When I seen them in print, a new story begins."
Featured image is reproduced from Masao Yamamoto: Small Things in Silence.
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
Photo-Eye Blog, Best of 2016
Tony Cederteg
a rare balance, a rediscovery, an achievable meditation
"There are artists whose large-format images or 'strong' subject matter strike us like an arrow, straight to the eyes, in the sole aim of making us breathe in the acrid stench of our time. Masao Yamamoto is not one of them; he stands rather at the antipodes to them. His photographs do not even reach us easily: we have to go out of ourselves to meet them; and, because of their small format, we have to get up close to them, as if putting our eye to a keyhole, In contrast to the violent or spectacular nature of many contemporary images, Yamamoto offers softness and subtlety, which is not to say blandness or conformity of any kid; his softness is like that of a mist that envelopes the landscape and transmutes it." Excerpt from Jacobo Siruela's essay and featured image are reproduced from Masao Yamamoto: Small Things in Silence, published by RM/Seigensha. continue to blog
"When I look back upon my path, I realize that the one consistent motif in my work is my obsession for small things," photographer Masao Yamamoto writes. "I feel joy when I discover seemingly insignificant things that may be easily overlooked. I am interested in those awkward feelings—such as when you miss a button hole or are stalled and lost in a disorienting fog. I prefer whispering my messages in a soft voice instead of speaking them out loud. My messages may be so soft as to be mistaken for illusions." Linenbound with tipped on cover and beautifully printed on thick, creamy paper with spot varnish, Small Things in Silence is one of the quietest, most contemplative books on our list. Back in stock at last, it is the perfect companion on this enveloping snow day. continue to blog
FORMAT: Hbk, 9.5 x 12 in. / 132 pgs / illustrated throughout. LIST PRICE: U.S. $60.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $85 ISBN: 9788415118831 PUBLISHER: RM/Seigensha AVAILABLE: 1/22/2019 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: FLAT40 PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of print AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA ONLY
Published by RM/Seigensha. Text by Masao Yamamoto, Jacobo Siruela.
Japanese photographer Masao Yamamoto (born 1957) trained as an oil painter before discovering that photography was the ideal medium for the theme that most interested him—the ability of the image to evoke memories. Small Things in Silence surveys the 20-year career of one of Japan's most important photographers. Yamamoto's portraits, landscapes and still lifes are made into small, delicate prints, which the photographer frequently overpaints, dyes or steeps in tea. Edited and sequenced by Yamamoto himself, this volume includes images from each of the photographer's major projects—Box of Ku, Nakazora, Kawa and Shizuka—as well as installation shots of some of Yamamoto's original photographic installations. In the words of Yamamoto himself: "I try to capture moments that no one sees and make a photo from them. When I seen them in print, a new story begins."
