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Masahisa Fukase's "Homo Ludens" revived after half a century

Masahisa Fukase's first photobook, "Homo Ludens" (Yugi) (Chuo-koron-sha, Contemporary Images 4), was published in 1971. This anthology of photographs, taken over more than ten years and edited by Camera Mainichi editor Shoji Yamagishi, is a collection that marks the origin of Fukase's work and is filled with images and essence that would shape Fukase's later creations, is structured into six sections, each vividly capturing the interplay between photography and life.

"To" (Slaughter) features images of Yoko Wanibe, whom Fukase accompanied to a slaughterhouse, juxtaposing the dismemberment of livestock with Yoko posing in a black cloak. "Kotobuki" (Congratulation) straightforwardly depicts his life with Yoko shortly after they got married, in a manner reminiscent of a private novel. "Gi" (Frolic) portrays the underground scene in Shinjuku where Fukase had gone after leaving the home he shared with Yoko, and the lifestyle of young people living together as a group. "Mei" (Memento), one of his earliest works, looks back on the pregnancy of his former partner, Yukiyo Kawakami, with whom he lived for eight years. Meanwhile, "Haha" (Mother) and "Fu" (Music) capture scenes of Yoko and her mother.
Throughout these sections, "Homo Ludens" conveys the mutual interplay of all living things, and the contradictory yet interconnected phenomena of life and death, meeting and parting.
Fukase's lens is turned towards himself and those close to him, The images explore the essence of life as a form of play, with raw and unflinching honesty. This first photobook stands as a powerful testament to Fukase's vision.

For this new reprint edition, all photographs and texts from the original version have been included, with a focus on reconfiguring the design to emphasize the relationship between the images and surrounding negative space, as well as the multilayered nature of the title. This approach serves as a timeless response to Fukase's vision.
With its exploration of the many facets of "Homo Ludens," it remains a significant work, offering a renewed perspective not only on Fukase's oeuvre but also on the act of seeing itself and our own existence.