Rikitake’s work sits alongside other prominent Japanese photographers who explore the nuances of everyday life and human subjects. While photographers like popularized the are, bure, boke (grainy, blurry, out-of-focus) style, and Hiroshi Sugimoto mastered minimalist landscapes, Rikitake focused on the commercial and artistic intersection of portraiture.
Today, physical copies of Rikitake’s photo books are rare collector's items, sometimes commanded at premium prices on specialty import sites like Books Kinokuniya . Consequently, the majority of modern interactions with keywords like "Portraits Of Jennie By Yasushi Rikitake.108" occur within digital archival databases, image boards, and underground photography forums dedicated to preserving historical Japanese erotica.
The series showcases Jennie in various settings and moods, from introspective and contemplative to vibrant and playful. Rikitake's portraits capture her multifaceted personality, inviting viewers to explore the many facets of her character. Whether depicted in a serene, natural environment or against a bold, abstract background, Jennie's presence is always captivating, drawing the viewer into her world. Portraits Of Jennie By Yasushi Rikitake.108
The "Portraits of Jennie" title itself is a likely homage to the 1940 novella by Robert Nathan and the subsequent 1948 fantasy film Portrait of Jennie . Much like the story, which involves an artist’s obsession with a timeless muse, Rikitake’s series seeks to capture a fleeting moment of youth and preserve it through the lens.
Collectors have noted that if you whisper Jennie’s name three times while looking at a high-resolution scan of , the eye in the painting appears to track your movement. Rikitake has neither confirmed nor denied this. “That is not magic,” he says. “That is simply the responsibility of looking at someone who no longer exists.” Whether depicted in a serene, natural environment or
: Unlike a standard one-off photobook, this series was designed to capture different "chapters" or moods of the subject over a specific period, allowing for a more comprehensive visual narrative than a single volume. Aesthetic Style
The series is notable for its unique organization. With the exception of a few cases, each volume groups models by their age at the time of photography: Rikitake occupies a liminal space.
The series remains a point of interest in the history of Japanese subculture photography, representing a specific era of "image-maker" culture that flourished before the tightening of Japanese child protection laws in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
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Yasushi Rikitake is a Japanese-born, Paris-based visual philosopher. Unlike his contemporaries in the hyper-realistic or purely abstract schools, Rikitake occupies a liminal space. His body of work is obsessed with mono no aware (the bittersweet awareness of impermanence) and yūgen (profound, mysterious grace).