In July, Foley Gallery presented the new edition of “the Exhibition Lab Exhibition,” a group art show featuring works by contemporary photographers. For almost a month, the gallery was showcasing a beautiful selection of photographs and mixed media works in a diverse range of genres, from new media to documentary photography. Among the highlights was a series of intimate fine art photography by Takako Kido, which attracted much attention to the work of the talented Japanese artist.
Skinship: Intimate Fine Art Photography by Takako Kido
Skinship is a fine art photography project by Takako Kido. As the name suggests, it is based on the concept of skinship, raising fundamental questions about the relationship between cultural difference and tactile communication. So what is skinship?
Skinship is a Japanese word that describes the closeness between a mother and a child through the physical contact of their skin. Skinship includes breastfeeding, co-sleeping, co-bathing, cuddling, and other kinds of non-sexual activities that build intimacy and help a child learn to care for others. In today’s world, the meaning of skinship has been broadened and now also involves acts of touching, such as hugging and holding hands, between very close platonic friends.
Takako Kido started her Skinship project with self-portraits she made to capture the intimate moments of breastfeeding her son. It was, and still is, a really powerful experience that allowed the artist to understand the cycle of life and death as a mother. It also helped her realize how unique and shocking the acts of skinship could be in other cultural contexts. Living both in the United States and Japan showed Takako Kido that paradox clearly.
Skinship by Takako Kido is all about the skin-to-skin relationship within a family. This intimate series of fine art photography allows viewers to look at Japanese skinship from a different perspective, helping them understand how it is important for both the child’s healthy development and strengthening the bond of family.