The first rare edition from April 2004. As new, in the publisher’s original white textured board printed in metallic purple, with the publisher’s printed price sticker on the board. (Not to be confused with the Foil second edition of the same year.) Beautifully designed collection of photos by contemporary Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, entirely comprised of serene, minimal images, primarily of the animal and botanical worlds. Lovely book of uniquely dreamlilke photos. A chick, horse, dog, turtle and human beings… Some creatures are to die soon after the birth; some creatures are born only to be eaten by the others to sustain their lives. All the living creatures are accepting their fate in the life no matter what it is. The mysterious and precious moments of the birth of various creatures. The blessings of being living. The babbles, vividness, beauty, joy, and the ephemeral existence of the lives in nature. The photographs cropped by Rinko Kawauchi invite us to confront the line between life and death. By interspersing the portraits of everyday situations throughout the series, AILA finally becomes the most completed, overwhelmingly big series of Rinko Kawauchi to date.