shashasha

In her series “Riku no Sango” (“Corals on Land”), Japanese photographer Ayane Maoka focuses on the family as the smallest universal unit of community. Shot primarily on her mother’s farm, Maoka weaves diary-like snapshots of her family and scenes surrounding the farm into a loose and lightweight narrative punctuated by occasional tragedy. In her series, Maoka connects the small changes occuring in her immediate environment to the greater changes that are shaping society.

The series won the 5th Irie Taikichi Photography Award.

“Our societies are marked by constant progress and dizzying change, whether through technological advances or the implementation of systems to increase efficiency. Without ignoring the importance of these processes, I hope my photographs allow viewers to recognize and affirm the little changes happening around them.”
― from Ayane Maoka’s award statement