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Sachiko Kobayashi, whose wonderful garden forms
the subject of another of my portfolios, has in her collection
a superb Japanese noh mask. I had wanted to photograph this mask
ever since I first set eyes on it, and finally got around to asking her
permission. This particular form of mask is known as ko-omote,
and is used in noh dramas to depict a young woman of perhaps 15-19
years of age. In the eight photographs here, I have attempted to
capture something of the enigmatic quality of a face that seems to
change expression from every angle. I ended with possibly the most
haunting image of all - the reverse side of the mask, which looks
for all the world like a piece of tribal art.
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thumbnails of the complete portfolio |