Takashi Homma has been a central figure in Japanese photography for over 40 years. From his 1998 book Tokyo Suburbia to projects exploring nature, architecture and city life, he has built a body of work that balances the personal with the documentary. This month Portrait of J arrives from Dashwood Books and Session Press. Bringing together 111 portraits made between 2002 and now, the book spans generations, professions and everyday lives; the people pictured are ordinary, yet Homma approaches each with the same attention usually given to cultural figures. Shot in familiar city settings, the work is an ode to national identity.
“In 2024, Japan lost nearly one million people, mainly due to the deaths of elderly citizens and the declining birth rate. If things continue this way, Japan will soon face a super-aged society unlike anything humanity has ever experienced.”
His projects move from suburbs to nature, architecture and city life, each focusing on the overlooked details of Japanese society. Portrait of J extends that thinking, placing emphasis on the presence of individuals who make up the country today. The book stands in conversation with a tradition of portraiture that includes August Sander, Irving Penn and Rineke Dijkstra, while also resonating with Japanese predecessors such as Shomei Tomatsu, Issei Suda and Hiroh Kikai. Portrait of J pays homage to people who shape the country today, observed with clarity and empathy, and exhibitions will follow in New York this month, Paris in November and Kyoto early next year.
For further information dashwoodbooks.com.
