Michael Kenna's photo project "Rafu": female nude in the style of Japanese haiku

An English photographer shoots nudes like no other. His incredibly aesthetic works resemble landscapes. He photographs non-professional models and each of his shots is an improvisation. Rate it yourself!

After traveling the world for decades, exploring wildlife, abandoned buildings and religious shrines - from Europe to Asia, English photographer Michael Kenna debuts an unprecedented series of works dedicated to female nudity.

The project "Rafu" (Rafu, 裸婦, translated from Japanese — a naked woman) secretly started in 2008, although Michael's interest in "nude" photography dates back to the time of his studies at the London College of Printing in the 1970s.

Michael Kenna allowed the models to express themselves by finding interesting poses and angles. None of the models is a pro, and some posed nude for the first time. Michael treated each photo session as an impromptu event based on a silent dialogue between the model and the photographer. His goal is to create a series of elegant images devoid of eroticism.

The image of the nude has a centuries-old tradition in painting, graphics, sculpture, the art of engraving and photography. Michael Kenna takes into account both historical and modern creative approaches to "nude", inviting to evaluate this aesthetic challenge. He finds exquisite bodily outlines, inspired by the works of such photographers as Bill Brandt and Man Ray.

A retrospective of the works of 66-year-old Michael Kenna - the Odyssey exhibition dedicated to 45 years of his creative activity (1973-2018), was recently opened in Tokyo Museum of Photography. In 2016, Michael Kenna was awarded a special photo award in Hokkaido (Japan).

In 2012, his work was shown at the Tacoma Art Museum. A year earlier — at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. Kenna's works have also been shown at the Palazzo Magnani Italian Museum in Reggio Emilia (2010) and the National Library of France (2009).

Michael Kenna's photographs are included in many public collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Shanghai Art Museum, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The photo album of the "Rafu" series was published in January 2019 ("Nazraeli Press").