ZATSU-RAN - Photographer Hal

Men and women are attracted to each other and try to become one. This fundamental desire carries an energy that affects all matter in the world.I wonder what is the reason we have to make such an effort to become one.

Possibly we were originally one. Since I believe this, I intend to visualize this power of love by adhering and unifying couples. The closer the distance between them, the stronger the power. The law of gravity also shows the pull is stronger when two objects become closer; and glue, too, is stronger when it is applied thinner. To be adhered shows their strength.I decided to vacuum-pack couples as a method to express coherence.

Because the couple cannot breathe in the bag, the vacuum-packed state can only be kept for several seconds.This is why I chose photography to capture these pieces. The series “Flesh Love”originated from this concept.When I was trying to look for a way to express the power of love, I thought of a star which, when it dies, shrinks and creates a black hole that sucks its surroundings into itself.

From here I started to vacuum-pack lovers together with their possessions. We cannot bring all their possessions into the studio so, for the selection process, we concentrated on items most closely connected to their personalities.These possessions are tools that help communicate the essence of their characters. To be vacuum-packed and adhered to one another is a new way of illustrating the couple's love.

While extracting the air, the belongings' positions shift unpredictably and the result can be unexpected.This appearance seems chaotic at first, but there is an inevitability and order, like the structure of the natural world.Naturally arranged subject matter shows the couple in their true form.This is their chaotic microcosm.

first edition.

signed copies available.

stock number: NB019