Miyako Ishiuchi - Nail - 2000

Following her early work documenting her hometown of Yokosuka, Ishiuchi shifted focus in the 1990s to the human body—its surface, its scars, and its memories. "Nail" represents a pivotal moment in her career, narrowing her gaze to the extremities: hands, feet, and nails.

This book features only male subjects of varying ages, nationalities, and professions. The images capture the individuality and transformation of the body through time and experience, as expressed in Ishiuchi’s own words: “Detached from the body, fingertips and nails rise and stand independently. The rectangular frame becomes a portal through which they face the outside world.”

A profound and minimalist study of identity, mortality, and time by one of Japan’s most important postwar photographers.

First edition with obi (bellyband). This copy in excellent condition (some damage to back of bellyband, see picture). Signed by the artist and accompanied by a signed letter by the artist addressed to a former professor.