KEN SATO / Nyohadae

Ken Sato
Nyohadae (The Female Canvas), 2003
Hardcover, Unpaginated
37 x 26.5cm
Mot's Publishing, Tokyo

Condition: Very Good. The bright red laminated boards remain clean and vibrant, with light shelf wear, minor rubbing and a few faint surface marks consistent with age and handling. Corners are gently bumped, most noticeably at the head of the spine and upper corners. Binding is firm and square. Internally, the pages are clean and bright throughout, with no writing, inscriptions or tears. The colour plates remain crisp and vivid. A very well-preserved copy overall.

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Published in 2003, Nyohadae ("The Female Canvas") is a striking large-format photobook by Ken Sato exploring the visual culture of Japanese tattooing. Using the female body as a temporary canvas, Sato photographs elaborate irezumi-inspired body paintings featuring dragons, koi, Buddhist figures and other classical tattoo motifs.

Rather than documenting permanent tattoos, the book celebrates the artistry and iconography of traditional Japanese tattooing through meticulously painted designs that echo the work of master tattooists. Set against traditional interiors, gardens and natural landscapes, the photographs emphasise the relationship between the painted body, Japanese architecture and the natural environment. Printed in rich colour at an oversized scale, each image allows the intricate compositions to be appreciated in remarkable detail.

An uncommon Japanese photobook and a fascinating exploration of tattoo culture, body painting and photography, Nyohadae occupies a unique place within contemporary Japanese publishing.