Sensuous landscapes of Japan, rendered in gold and silver

For photographer Mineko Orisaku, the quintessential Japanese landscape transcends the visual experience. Drawing on traditional texts such as the ancient poetry anthology Manyoshu, as well as her own experiences of growing up surrounded by nature in her home prefecture of Ishikawa, Orisaku has created a body of work entitled "Kouin Mahorama", which is imbued with a deep philosophy and sensibility. This approach is also reflected in the physical aspect of the photographs. Orisaku uses a technique called 'Haku Photography' to print her photographs onto gold and silver leaf – two materials with a long history in Ishikawa's capital city, Kanazawa. In the book, the unique shimmer and expressive depth of this technique are replicated through the use of gold and silver foils.

“The delicate light that had been trapped in silver crystals came back to life – light from the surface of water, drops of water, mist and haze. The deepness of the landscape is revived by the depth of the gold and silver leaf, showing a countenance that changes according to the viewing angle as you look left or right, up or down. Memories and reality. Impressions and phenomena. The boundary slackens as they come together, embraced by the light brought by the metal leaf.”
― from Mineko Orisaku’s afterword