“I hope that the faint waves that my work emits, grow into quiet, yet eloquent messages that will be reaching you.” – Yamamoto Masao
Editorial RM presents a new edition of Small Things in Silence, Yamamoto Masao’s poetic contemplation of the fleeting beauty found in everyday objects.
One of Japan’s most important contemporary photographers, Yamamoto Masao was born in 1957 in Gamagori City, in the country’s Aichi Prefecture. Initially trained as an oil painter, he transitioned to photography in the early 1980s, using it to explore themes of memory and fleeting moments.
His work is deeply rooted in traditional Japanese philosophy, Zen Buddhism, and aesthetic practices such as wabi-sabi (the beauty in imperfection), and often focuses on natural elements, demonstrating a profound sensitivity to the world around him.
Due to the cultural emphasis on craftsmanship and the value placed on both the physical and experiential nature of art, Japanese photographers, more so than their Western counterparts, have long had a deep connection to the printed image.
Yamamoto Masao is no exception. Fascinated by the tactility of printmaking, he views it as essential to his artistic practice, experimenting with alternative printing techniques such as dyeing, toning, and hand-painting his prints to create unique, physical works of art. There are many words or phrases in Japanese that lack direct translation in English or any other language, as they refer to concepts deeply rooted in the country’s unique cultural worldview.
One such phrase is Mono no aware (物の哀れ), which describes the feeling evoked by the awareness of impermanence—the gentle sadness or wistfulness that arises from the transience of things.
This concept is central to Masao’s work, as his handcrafted prints immortalize fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. His manual alterations, such as tea and coffee staining, and torn edges, imbue the images with a sense of nostalgia and physical vulnerability, suggesting that the prints themselves, like the moments they capture, are subject to the passage of time.
Beautifully presented by Editorial RM, Small Things in Silence stands as a wonderful antidote to the hyper-paced, consumer-driven culture of our time. Masao’s emphasize on handcrafted tactility, stands in stark contrast to the digital mass-produced imagery that dominates today’s visual landscape, while his focus on small, transient moments and objects invites us to slow down and reflect, to engage more intimately with the world around us. While the themes of impermanence and fragility are clear, each image holds a unique meaning shaped by the viewer’s perspective and emotions.
For me, there were countless images in the book that resonated deeply, but there were two specifically, presented side by side, to which I constantly returned. On the left, a series of branches, heavy with cherry blossoms at the peak of their bloom, their white petals striking against the dark branches. On the right, a smaller, more delicate print of cherry blossom trees, their branches sparser, framing an elderly man who rests one arm against a tree trunk. Unlike the previous image, this print is heavily faded, with nearly white edges, the image itself almost ethereal—as though it is dissappearing before our eyes.
Nothing embodies impermanence quite like cherry blossoms, and these images, for me at least, perfectly capture the essence of what underpins Masao’s work. The vibrant bloom symbolizes vitality, while the faded image of the elderly man resting against the tree speaks to the fragility and fleeting nature of existence.
Together, the two prints evoke the spirit of Mono no aware: a deep appreciation for transient beauty, suffused with a quiet melancholy at the awareness of its inevitable passing.
Small Things in Silence 3rd Edition is published by Editorial RM and is available via their website.
All images © Yamamoto Masao