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The photobook Mayu Hanasaki (then 13 years old) and shot by the renowned photographer Sumiko Kiyooka
The Japanese photography world is no stranger to quiet, seismic shifts. But every few years, a project emerges that refuses to stay within the traditional boundaries of a photo book. Today, we are honored to present a comprehensive deep dive into one of the most anticipated, delicate, and controversial releases of the year: the latest limited-edition photobook by master lenswoman Sumiko Kiyooka , published under her visionary imprint, 40L .
Renowned photographer Sumiko Kiyooka returns with a masterclass in soft-light portraiture. The Subject: The photobook Mayu Hanasaki (then 13 years old)
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The "Cocoon" series, of which this photobook is a part, is a conceptual exploration of the fragility and beauty of adolescence. Through Mayu's expressive gaze and vulnerable poses, Kiyooka invites the viewer to step into a world of introspection and self-discovery. The title "Cocoon" aptly describes the transitional phase of life, where individuals are sheltered from the outside world, yet on the cusp of transformation. The title "Cocoon" aptly describes the transitional phase
The title, Cocoon , is apt. The book’s first third bathes Hanasaki in soft, diffused light—winter mornings, cotton sheets, the translucent curve of an ear pressed against a foggy window. These are not the garish, over-lit portraits of youth marketed to us by commercial media. Instead, Kiyooka employs a 40-year-old medium-format film technique, giving each grain a texture that feels like memory rather than photograph.
The subject is Mayu Hanasaki. She is 13. And she is, quite literally, wrapped in her own world. The lighting is buttery
Sold out directly from the publisher. Secondary market bids are already reported at 4x the original retail price.
The opening plates are claustrophobic. Kiyooka uses a 40mm lens (close to the human field of vision) to photograph Mayu against washi paper screens. The lighting is buttery, sepia-toned. Mayu sits perfectly still, as if waiting for a signal to hatch. There is a recurring motif of closed shutters and hands pressed against glass.