Deeply involved in the postwar Japanese unrest, soon after World War II Toshihio Hosoe decided to change his name to Eikoh, willing to symbolise a new Japan being born. Intrinsically linked to Japan's artistic movements of the second half of the twentieth century, Hosoe's struggle has always been to expose humanity itself. Instead of focusing on destruction and devastated landscapes, it seems as if the ravaging effects of the atomic bomb propelled him towards searching for authenticity in the human body and heart. Regarding photography as a mirror or window to the soul, dreams and desires, his avant-garde work aimed to fracture Japanese traditional cultural boundaries from within the body itself; even willing to penetrate beyond the most intimate suit, which is the skin. This was even more arduous, considering the particularly conservative tendency of the Japanese society, and the focus on collective formal values over personal choice and identity. His collaborations reflect this groundbreaking tendency, resulting in indefinable works of art with both Yukio Mishima and Tatsumi Hijikata.
Dancing through the lens:
It is clear that when one thinks of butoh, the first images which are evoked are those of Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno immortalized by Hosoe. Intrinsically involved in this avant-garde movement ever since it was created, the photographer had an inarguable influence and interaction both in terms of aesthetics and artistic perspectives. His photographs of Hijikata were particularly breathtaking: they were based on a Japanese folkloric tale about a supernatural being (the Kamaitachi, a weasel-like demon) which wandered around the countryside of Hosoe's childhood in northern Japan, haunting the rice fields and slashing people with a sickle. The final work was a result of Hijikata's spontaneous interactions with the landscape and the people he encountered, thus consisting of an interesting combination between live performance and photography. As for Hosoe's portraying of Kazuo Ohno, the photographer was in charge of documenting 46 years of his life; capturing the most inspiring moments in the history of butoh and definitely establishing himself as the butoh photographer par excellence. Naming the collection after a Taoist allegory, The butterfly dream was published on October 27th 2006, as a homage and celebration for Ohno’s 100th birthday.
A myth come true:
In 1961, after seeing Hosoe's photographs of Tatsumi Hijikata, the renowned novelist Yukio Mishima decided he also wanted to become the artist's "subject matter", following his will and direction for the publishing of a book. When photographing the writer, his primary aim was to destroy the myth surrounding his persona, thus creating a new Mishima. In his own words (published as the preface of the book): "Before Hosoe’s camera, I soon realized that my own spirit and the workings of my mind had become totally redundant. It was an exhilarating experience, a state of affairs I had long dreamt of. Hosoe merely explored via the medium of his camera—much as the novelist uses words and the composer sounds—the various combinations in which the objects to be photographed could be placed, and the light and shadow which made these combinations possible. For him, in short, the objects correspond to words and sounds."
Considering Ba-ra-kei as a subjective photographic documentary, Hosoe decided to use anything the writer possessed or had relation with, such as personal belongings and a series of Reinassance paintings Mishima particularly loved. When interviewed some years ago, Hosoe referred to this perspective: "I believe that a person’s soul lives in any of his possessions, particularly in art objects, which live together with the artist’s soul." Right before the billingual edition was about to be published, Mishima suggested the English title should be changed, arguing that the translation was not close enough to the Japanese meaning of Ba-ra-kei (literally "punishment of roses"). Therefore, the title was changed from Killed by Roses to Ordeal by Roses, thus resulting in a requiem after Mishima committed ritual suicide.
Considering Ba-ra-kei as a subjective photographic documentary, Hosoe decided to use anything the writer possessed or had relation with, such as personal belongings and a series of Reinassance paintings Mishima particularly loved. When interviewed some years ago, Hosoe referred to this perspective: "I believe that a person’s soul lives in any of his possessions, particularly in art objects, which live together with the artist’s soul." Right before the billingual edition was about to be published, Mishima suggested the English title should be changed, arguing that the translation was not close enough to the Japanese meaning of Ba-ra-kei (literally "punishment of roses"). Therefore, the title was changed from Killed by Roses to Ordeal by Roses, thus resulting in a requiem after Mishima committed ritual suicide.