Kamaitachi #8, 1965

Eikoh Hosoe (b. 1933 in Yonezawa, Yamagata) is a Japanese photographer and filmmaker who emerged from the experimental arts movement in post-World War II Japan. Hosoe is best known for his dark, high-contrast black-and-white photographs of human bodies. His images are often psychologically charged, exploring themes such as death, erotic obsession, and irrationality. Some of his photographs reference religion, philosophy, and mythology, while others are nearly abstract. He was professionally and personally affiliated with the writer Yukio Mishima and experimental artists of the 1960s, such as the dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, though his work encompasses a wide variety of subjects. His photography is notable not only for its artistic influence but also for its broader contribution to the reputations of his subjects.