Fumito Shibasaki

To the Western eye, the Japanese aesthetic is often surprising, characterized by a marked sensitivity towards the subject, its colours, and its surroundings. The photography of Fumito Shibasaki embodies this cool, discreet style, and has an instant appeal to the viewer. In the series “Dolls”, the title reveals what we overlook at first glance: Through a clever combination of light and shadow, of bright-dark contrasts and iridescent hues of gold, Shibasaki achieves an optical elevation of the models, giving them an almost human appearance. It is only on closer inspection that we understand the true nature of the models’ flawless arms, of their rotating wrists and stylized faces – elements the photographer’s masterful use of light and colour had previously hidden. Shibasaki skilfully turns the viewers’ perception of the images against their own expectations. This artistic disconnect lends his works an enigmatic mood and generates the charm of these unconventional images.
Fumito Shibasaki was born in Tokyo and studied photography in New York City. He now lives and works in Tokyo and Paris, and works primarily as a fashion photographer. The series “Dolls” emerged in 2013 as part of a fashion campaign for Italian designer label Miu Miu.