Eikoh Hosoe, who passed away on September 16 in Tokyo, was a prominent figure among avant-garde artists in postwar Japan, known for his efforts to develop a new visual language.
As a director and collaborator, he facilitated narratives with notable figures such as choreographer and dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, author Yukio Mishima, and performer Simon Yotsuya. Their work delved into themes of gender, desire, mortality, and mythology.
Yasufumi Nakamori, editor of a 2021 monograph on Hosoe, noted that he “created a rupture in the conventional time and space of reality” through his photography, inviting collaborators to explore and experiment.
Hosoe's early series featured nudes presented as sculptural objects, creating haunting still lifes, with “Man and Woman, No. 33” produced in 1960.
Inspired by Hijikata's dance, Mishima collaborated with Hosoe on a series titled “Ordeal by Roses,” which Hosoe described as a “subjective documentary.” This series included “Ordeal by Roses, No. 6,” created in 1961. Hosoe explained that the theme revolved around life and death, using a rose to symbolize beauty and danger.
In the mid-1960s, Hosoe and Hijikata explored the legend of Kamaitachi, a spirit resembling a weasel that haunts rice fields. They traveled to rural Japan, where Hijikata embodied the weasel in a series of images, including “Kamaitachi, No. 39” from 1968. Hosoe aimed to capture Hijikata in a “true form” beyond traditional settings.
Simon Yotsuya, an avant-garde actor known for drag performances, was another significant collaborator, leading to the creation of “Simon (Lips)” in 1971.