Tights and Lips by Daido Moriyama

Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama’s series of 20 pictures entitled ‘Tights and Lips’ is combined with his earlier work ‘How to create a beautiful picture 6: Tights in Shimotakaido’ of 1987, which shows images depicting close-up shots of legs in fishnets. With the mix of exotic shots of legs in fishnets and images of glossy lips, Moriyama wanted to produce a collection of pictures that are undeniably erotic and inscrutable in their intention. By using close shots, the pictures of fishnetted legs lose their sense and proportion. The curve of a thigh or the turn of the ankle are leading to abstraction with a stab of desire. Combined with the series of Lips, the pictures show a long term preoccupation with image fragmentation, forcing the eye to focus on elements that might stay unnoticed.

All images © Daido Moriyama