Jean-Vincent Simonet presents Tokyo and Osaka as a living, breathing organism in his 2018 photobook, In Bloom. Known for his work of exuberance and entropy, In Bloom presents us through the meanderings of the crevices of rainy cityscapes and vivacious nightclubs. Shot on 35mm, Simonet makes full utilization of the range of possibilities of shooting on film. Simonet, staying true to his signature style, embraces the prominent texture of grain and manipulates vibrant colors to a psychedelic display. The city, and its parts, are alive, as we travel through this neon-lit ecosystem of buildings and contorting bodies. He consistently presents us with vibrant flower arrangements in full bloom to remind us of the organic nature of his experience.

From ‘In Bloom’ 2018 ©Jean-Vincent Simonet. Published by SPBH Editions.

The long exposures slow down Tokyo life to a vibrating, watery halt. Despite the feeling of motion all around, there is a meditative stillness in each photo. The pastel glow softens the hard edges of the building and bleeds into reflections in the rain puddles. The streets begin to feel like a still from an anime in some world where anything is possible.

Simonet, playing to his own niche in this vivacious ecosystem, captured the glamour and personality of the people in clubs. In these intimate close-ups, Simonet manipulates the ink by printing on plastic so it never fully dries. Wet and almost monochromatic, the gooey texture melts the dynamic faces into tender mucosa, appearing then as timeless prints from another era

Water, the pulse life, reoccurs as a theme in these photos. It’s alive and gentle. From the dew on the plants to the racing rain on windshields, water gently envelopes the skin of his lover in the shower. In many intimate portraits in the book, the nude body of Simonet’s lover is contorted in various positions. As tender homages to her, she moves to a rhythm we can almost feel. He even displays himself in the nude, owing to his indispensable role in this story.

Artificial manipulations to his photographs blur his subjective experience into the physical realm. In some of his diptychs, the double exposure super-imposes disparate parts to make inorganic yet strikingly organic wholes. Simonet acts as a humble organism succumbing to the soft vitality around him.

By extrapolating his images further from reality, he draws a subjective fantasy of his experience that feels primordial and familiar. Fantasy and energy are the pulsating lifeblood of this world. The interconnectedness of all parts are equally responsible for the flourishing city. Simonet's energetic and tender memoir gently invites us to be swallowed up by Tokyo and Osaka's neon belly.

Check out more of Jean-Vincent SImonet’s work on his website