ABOUT

Carps, clouds, ravens, curtains, grandpa, tires, fried egg, ants, and butterflies – “Utatane” is an amalgamation of photographic subjects taken from the everyday. Throughout this volume, Kawauchi trains her lens on scenes of a more mundane nature: tiny insects, flowers, and other sights that may escape the eye without warning. Through her eyes, an ordinary glass transforms into a shimmering, brilliant jewel; a single ant transforms into an object of sophistication; and the corpse of a pigeon incites terror – emanating the aura of something unapproachable. Through these scenes, one sees the juxtaposition of fear and gentleness – Utatane is a volume that sends one into rumination on life and death.