Seijinshiki

by Charles Freger & Little Fish

Photographs: Charles Freger

Text: Mariko Takeuchi

Publisher: Akaaka

76 pages

Pictures: color illustrations

Year: 2011

ISBN: 978-4-903545-74-5

Comments: hardcover with obi, 17,4 × 24 cm, manga by little fish, editing by Tomomi Tada, design by Yuma Harada

SEIJINSHIKI is made together with the photographer Charles Freger and the manga artist littlefish. Seijinshiki is a coming-of-age ceremony in Japan when 20-year-old girls dress in a formal kimono, Japanese traditional dress, known for its very tactile aesthetics and materials. Charles has made portraits of these girls in front of self-made backdrops depicting classical formal Japanese paintings. The irritating odd element is the reoccurring "peace" and "victory" sign which these girls project to the camera. This little gesture, which is such an integral part of young peoples posing for the camera, becomes, like so much of the Japanese culture, a bridge between old traditions, and contemporary pop elements.

The manga story from littlefish depicts a narrative of 2 girls excited about their upcoming ceremony, dressing up, drinking and then, in the end falling asleep as Kuroko, a dark figure, comes to strip them of the beautiful robes. A very loaded ending, symbolizing the loss of naivete and innocence.

Includes an English translation of dialogue between Charles Freger and Mariko Takeuchi, critic.

more books tagged »Japanese« | >> see all

• 

  Misao The Big Mama And Fukumaru The Cat
  by Miyoko Ihara
  sold out

• 

  Ametsuchi (signed)
  by Rinko Kawauchi
  sold out

• 

  Go There (signed)
  by Gen Sakuma
  Euro 60

• 

  The Declaration of Photo-Secession Tokyo
  by various photographers
  sold out

• 

  Tundra Kids
  by Ikuru Kuwajima
  Euro 29

• 

  Namekuji Soshi Gaiden (signed)
  by Masahito Agake
  sold out

more books tagged »portrait« | >> see all

• 

  Timekeepers (collector's edition - last copy)
  by Matjaž Tančič
  Euro 295

• 

  Fürs Leben gezeichnet (signed - last copy)
  by Klaus Pichler
  sold out

• 

  by the world forgot. Portraits of Indigenous Peoples of Asia (...
  by Christoph Lingg
  Euro 65

• 

  Les Copains
  by Johan van der Keuken
  sold out

• 

  Twenty-one Years in One Second (signed)
  by Erik Hinz
  Euro 49

• 

  Wildfremd Magazin Nr. 1 (Magazin + Print)
  by Christopher Mavric
  Euro 29

more books tagged »French« | >> see all

• 

  Zine Collection N°18: Reves de Femmes (signed+print)
  by Renée Jacobs
  sold out

• 

  Skin Memories
  by Thomas Mailaender
  sold out

• 

  Until Death Do Us Part
  by Thomas Sauvin
  Euro 42

• 

  ANATOPÉES (signed)
  by Arnaud Lesage
  sold out

• 

  First World War Now (signed)
  by Magnum Photographers
  Euro 65

• 

  Zine Collection N°22: A French Youth (signed + print)
  by Hervé Lequeux
  sold out

Random selection from the Virtual bookshelf josefchladek.com

• 
  Kazuo Kitai - Teikoh (Resistance...
  
• 
  Yutaka Takanashi, Koji Taki, Dai...
  
• 
  Miyako Ishiuchi - Apartment (石内 ...
  
• 
  Nobuyuki Wakabayashi - Gesshoku ...