Set Foot in Ambiguous☆Thighs Photo Studio and See Japan Like Never Before!

| Culture | Posted by Kai Okudara on Jul.28.2015

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TODAYS GALLERY STUDIO in Asakusabashi celebrated their 1st anniversary with the opening of Ambiguous☆Thighs Photo Studio on July 3, 2015. It was a solo exhibition by Yuria, a photographer who has spent the past 5 years recording and curating images of women’s thighs as part of the movement to show the artistic side of fetishism. Previously displaying selected pieces from his collection at Ambiguous☆Bishoujo Art Exhibiton in May of 2015, Ambiguous☆Thighs Photo Studio also gave a preview of “Thighs Photo Studio –Summer Day-” and “Thighs Photo Studio Uniform Photo Club 〜Summer〜” which were released on July 17, 2015.

A strong yet subtle sense of everyday life in Japan can be felt while looking at the prints, a refreshing change from some of the over the top images typically associated with depicting Japanese culture. Having the models (who are friends and acquaintances of Yuria) wearing things like school uniforms gives it a slight feeling of cosplay without actually being cosplay.

Sports seems to be an prevalent theme. Perhaps in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, there will also be volleyball, tennis, soccer, and gymnastics pictures in the near future?

There was a photo booth set up within the gallery for attendees to have their thighs photographed by Yuria! Within just a few hours of the doors opening, the photographs had begun to be posted on the wall. Imagine how many the must have been when the event ended!

On sale were Yuria’s previous photo books “Thighs Photo Studio: Uniform Photo Club” and “Thighs Photo Studio 2” as well as postcards and metal badge pins. Those who purchased a photo book at the event received a selected postcard as a bonus and could even have the book signed by Yuria!

Yuria was hard pressed to pick out a single picture that was their favorite but did admit that the one shown below had a special place, especially since it is the image on his business cards.

There is also a sense of playfulness as evidenced by the use of rubber ducks, with some of them appearing in the gallery!

It seems that Yuria is a big fan of John Petrucci (Dream Theater), mentioning that the guitar and amplifier shown in the picture below is part of his personal collection.

The attention to detail in the pictures is incredible! Everything is so clean and crisp! You can see the goosebumps on the model’s thigh as she is kneeling in the riverbed! Look at how the cord from the telephone is wrapped around the stockinged leg as it sticks out from underneath the business suit!

Yuria is able to convey what a hot and humid Japanese summer feels like without relying on more obvious imagery. Having the models wear yukata wouldn’t make sense anyway as you wouldn’t be able to see their legs!

While the image of women’s thighs is the unifying theme for all of the works that were on display, it would be premature to dismiss it as a simple assemblage of fetish photographs. Is the attention and care that Yuria took in capturing and selecting the images shown above completely different to what a portrait or landscape photographer would do? Ambiguous☆Thighs Photo Studio is an appropriate name for this exhibition as it simply shows the viewer snapshots of life in Japan filtered through the frame of women’s thighs and leaves it up to them to make their own decisions.

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