It remains beautiful. It remains unsettling. It remains unforgettable.
, the photobook sold an unprecedented 1.55 million copies in its first year, becoming one of the best-selling nude photobooks in history. Historical & Artistic Context santa fe rie miyazawa photo by kishin shinoyama 1991
Japan has a complex relationship with nudity. While genitalia are pixelated by law, full-frontal nudity (breasts, buttocks) has been permissible in "art" contexts. However, in 1991, the subject was the issue: Rie Miyazawa was a minor . It remains beautiful
So, is it art?
: Shinoyama approached the project with a "fine art intent," modeling his style after legendary photographers Alfred Stieglitz and the Group f/64 (including Edward Weston and Ansel Adams). , the photobook sold an unprecedented 1
For collectors, a first-edition copy of Santa Fe still changes hands for upwards of ¥100,000 ($670). For film photographers, it remains a benchmark of studio lighting. For feminists, a cautionary tale. For Rie Miyazawa herself, it is likely a ghost she carries everywhere.