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By Pauline Vermare, Lesley A. Martin
Publisher: Aperture
Publication date: 2024
Print length: 440 pages
Language: English
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I’m So Happy You Are Here offers a critical and celebratory counterpoint to the established narrative of Japanese photography, shedding light on the often-overlooked contributions of women in the field. This groundbreaking volume, edited by Pauline Vermare and Lesley A. Martin, along with curator and writer Takeuchi Mariko, and photo-historians Carrie Cushman and Kelly Midori McCormick, challenges traditional historical precedents and expands our understanding of Japanese photography.

Through three richly illustrated essays, the book explores the diverse photographic approaches that reflect the lived experiences of women in Japanese society. It situates these works within a broader historical and contemporary context, offering a fresh perspective on how women have shaped and continue to influence the photographic landscape in Japan. The inclusion of an in-depth illustrated bibliography by Marc Feustel and Russet Lederman, alongside key critical writings by prominent Japanese curators and historians such as Kasahara Michiko and Fuku Noriko—many published in translation for the first time—further deepens the discourse.

While not aiming to be comprehensive, I’m So Happy You Are Here provides a vital foundation for a more inclusive conversation about Japanese photography. It is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking a fuller, more nuanced understanding of the contributions of Japanese women to the art form, offering a restorative history that both complements and challenges the existing canon.

Photographers: Hara Mikiko, Ishikawa Mao, Ishiuchi Miyako, Katayama Mari, Kawauchi Rinko, Komatsu Hiroko, Kon Michiko, Nagashima Yurie, Narahashi Asako, Ninagawa Mika, Nishimura Tamiko, Noguchi Rika, Nomura Sakiko, Okabe Momo, Okanoue Toshiko, Onodera Yuki, Sawada Tomoko, Shiga Lieko, Sugiura Kunié, Tawada Yuki, Tokiwa Toyoko, Ushioda Tokuko, Watanabe Hitomi, Yamazawa Eiko, Yanagi Miwa.

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