Japanese photographer Akira Kobayashi was driven by a desire to break away from commercial constraints, set out to produce a project that was entirely self-directed and uncompromisingly raw. The result was his first independent book, WANT, published in 1970. To heighten the emotional and visual tension, Kobayashi deliberately paired Japanese and Western female models with Black male models, using the natural variations in skin tones to create striking, rich monochrome depth. Captured using experimental techniques such as dynamic motion blur and organic multiple exposures (tajuu rokou), the bodies intertwine to create a surreal, elegant, and deeply poetic study of form. Rather than traditional, rigid studio portraiture, WANT feels alive, cinematic, and beautifully subversive and ahead of its time.
Title: Want Publisher:
Gendaishin-sha Publication Date: 1970 Language: Japanese Binding: Softcover Book Condition: Very Good Dust Jacket Condition: N/A Edition: First Size: 39 x 26 cm Pages: 56
