MASAHISA FUKASE
SASUKE
SASUKE
BOOK
Published by Exb, 2021
Book size 26 x 19 cm
Pages around 200 pages
Hardcover
Language French
ISBN : 978-2-36511-290-1
+
Published by Exb, 2021
Book size 26 x 19 cm
Pages around 200 pages
Hardcover
Language French
ISBN : 978-2-36511-290-1
+
PRINT
In a box a print numbered from 1 to 30 and the book Sasuke
Collotype print (on opposite side), produced by Benrido studio, Kyoto
and certified with the authentification stamp of the Masahisa Fukase Archives.
Print size: 24 x 33 cm
"Following the survey monograph, this publication is dedicated to Masahisa Fukase’s emblematic series on his two cats: Sasuke and Momoe, combining unpublished and iconic images. In 1977, Fukase turned his lenses on his new companion Sasuke. Growing up with felines, he decides with the arrival of this new cat in his life that it would become a photographic subject in his own right, fascinated by this creature full of life named after a legendary ninja. Sasuke disappears after ten days and the photographer sticks hundreds of small posters (as featured on the cover of the book) in his neighborhood. A person brings back his cat, yet it is not Sasuke but never mind he welcomes this new cat with as much affection. One year later, he takes a second cat named Momoe, entering the frame as well and he will never get tired of photographing their games. They become for the Japanese photographer a boundless experimental field leading to an extraordinary body of work in its technical and visual inventiveness.
As often in his work, this series shows a form of projection of the photographer into his subject. The cat, a faithful companion who never leaves him, takes the place of his wife, eternal heartache, later represented by the iconic fleeing crows.
His cats have been the subject of several books in his lifetime and Tomo Kosuga has dug into the photographer’s archives to conceive this ultimate book as the achievement of a series of publications devoted to his cats." Publisher's statement
In a box a print numbered from 1 to 30 and the book Sasuke
Collotype print (on opposite side), produced by Benrido studio, Kyoto
and certified with the authentification stamp of the Masahisa Fukase Archives.
Print size: 24 x 33 cm
"Following the survey monograph, this publication is dedicated to Masahisa Fukase’s emblematic series on his two cats: Sasuke and Momoe, combining unpublished and iconic images. In 1977, Fukase turned his lenses on his new companion Sasuke. Growing up with felines, he decides with the arrival of this new cat in his life that it would become a photographic subject in his own right, fascinated by this creature full of life named after a legendary ninja. Sasuke disappears after ten days and the photographer sticks hundreds of small posters (as featured on the cover of the book) in his neighborhood. A person brings back his cat, yet it is not Sasuke but never mind he welcomes this new cat with as much affection. One year later, he takes a second cat named Momoe, entering the frame as well and he will never get tired of photographing their games. They become for the Japanese photographer a boundless experimental field leading to an extraordinary body of work in its technical and visual inventiveness.
As often in his work, this series shows a form of projection of the photographer into his subject. The cat, a faithful companion who never leaves him, takes the place of his wife, eternal heartache, later represented by the iconic fleeing crows.
His cats have been the subject of several books in his lifetime and Tomo Kosuga has dug into the photographer’s archives to conceive this ultimate book as the achievement of a series of publications devoted to his cats." Publisher's statement
-----
Après la monographie sur l’ensemble de son travail, cet ouvrage est consacré à la série emblématique de Masahisa Fukase autour de ses deux chats, Sasuke et Momoe, mêlant photographies iconiques et inédites.
En 1977, Fukase tourne son objectif vers son nouveau compagnon : Sasuke. Entouré de félins depuis l’enfance, il décide avec l’arrivée de ce nouveau chaton d’en faire un sujet photographique à part entière, fasciné par cette créature pleine de vie nommée d’après un ninja légendaire. À son grand désarroi, Sasuke disparaît après une dizaine de jours et le photographe placarde une centaine d’affichettes de son chat perdu (celles reprises sur la couverture de l’ouvrage) dans son quartier. Une personne lui ramène son chat mais ce n’est pas Sasuke, peu importe il l’accueille avec tout autant d’affection. Un an plus tard, il prend un second chat, surnommée Momoe, qui entrera dans le cadre elle aussi. Fukase ne se lassera pas de photographier leurs jeux, qui deviendront un véritable terrain d’expérimentation visuel sans limites. Il s’agit bien ici, comme souvent dans son œuvre, d’une forme de projection du photographe dans son sujet. Le chat, compagnon fidèle qui ne le quitte pas, prend la place de sa femme, éternel chagrin d’amour, représenté plus tard par les emblématiques corbeaux fuyants.
Ses chats ont fait l’objet de plusieurs livres de son vivant. Tomo Kosuga, directeur des archives Fukase, s’est replongé dans ce corpus d'images afin de concevoir cet ouvrage comme l’aboutissement d’une série de publications dédiées à ses félins.
écrits de l'éditeur