The Touching, Absurd World of Fifty-Somethings

Portraits of women, fifty-somethings, in an environment composed of symbolic objects that is somehow supposed to represent their world, is somewhat a predilection for photographer Tomoaki Makino. According to the artist, he is ‘interested in the world of [his] mother. This is a process to check the gap between women of different generations.’ This interest has given way to three series, published between 2005 and 2009: Tokyo Soap Opera in Japan, DAYDREAM in New York, and Theater in Taiwan.

Born in 1980 in Saitama Prefecture, Tomoaki Makino looks to present ‘things that suggest their existence,’ bringing together ‘humor, beauty, and bad taste. These include handmade accessories, sofa covers, furniture arrangements, hobbies, and pets.’ 

Sober and folkloric

The idea is that ‘the room expresses culture,’ making these women proud in a material sense, which they show in both body language and style. All of this is a blend of seriousness and a tongue-in-cheek attitude; ‘they laugh at the stories of their youth,’ he says. 

Set against either sober or folkloric backdrops, symbolising housewives, literary, artistic, or sporty women, the artist immortalises his subjects, all the while thinking of his own mother, her friends, and her friends of friends.

Tokyo Soap Opera (2005), by Tomoaki Makino is published by Little More Japan. You can find more of the photographer’s work on Lens Culture and on Instagram.