Project: Bodyscape

Interview by Yanika Anukulpun

"My intention is to create a form of abstract realism with the minimalistic representation of the female body. I carefully crop, edit, and compose the nude figure to the point that abstract effects emerge. While the images are clearly recognizable as a part of a nude figure, I aim to convey the impression of a landscape or elements of nature. I deliberately engage and challenge the viewer's imagination to see in my images something else other than human body parts. In order to direct the viewer’s focus onto shapes, I digitally erase all marks and other blemishes from the model's skin. As a result, the model’s identity and personal history are hidden, yet body shapes and texture still remain. The viewer is then free to imagine stories and emotions from the ensuing limited information." Mayumi mentioned

Your “Bodyscape series” focuses on shape and form of woman’s body. Can you talk about your interest and feeling in these things?

I think that showing a part of the body is fascinating than showing a totally naked body from head to toe. The body is literally a “sum of its parts”. I find the parts more interesting than the whole (body). The partial nude image stimulates us to imagine the rest of body and the person.

How did you choose a specific part of woman’s body to capture and build up your own aesthetic photos?

For this series, I chose models who didn't want to show their faces. Choosing which parts of a woman’s body to use in my images was a process of searching and discovery. During the shoot, I manipulated poses and lighting. In the editing phase, I cropped and experimented with the rectangular format of the image until I found the abstract effects I was looking for: a resemblance to landscape or elements of nature such as mountains, a moon, a flower bud, or vegetable, for example.

What do you think makes the female body beautiful?

“Beautiful” is a totally subjective concept, naturally. I think, in a perfect world, we define beauty for ourselves rather than accepting society’s definition. I try to show the viewer something that is interesting. In the process, I try to be as inclusive as possible in terms of my implied definition of what makes a female body beautiful.