Saori
Taro Karibe
Taro Karibe was born in Aichi in 1988. He majored in psychology at Nanzan University (Aichi, Japan). During his time at university, he spent time studying abroad in the UK where he underwent training for an infectious disease control project in South Africa. After working at a financial institution, he made himself independent as a photographer. He uses photography to create works that examine the relationship between society and the individual. “Saori” won the PDN Photo Annual Award (US). He currently lives and works in Tokyo.
© Taro Karibe - Statement -
Karibe discovered Senji Nakajima's blog and began photographing him and his girlfriend, “Saori,” for five years starting in 2016. Nakajima and Saori sleep in the same bed every night, go out on dates, and whisper sweet nothings to each other. The only difference between them and other couples is that Saori is a love doll made of silicone. Around the age of 40, after Nakajima was transferred for work and had to live separated from his family, he started to feel lonely. At the age of 55, he began living with a love doll. His family approved of the relationship. At first, Nakajima played with the doll, projecting on it the image of his unfulfilled love. However, one day at a campsite he visited, a beautiful light struck her and a living heart began beating inside Saori. This work is composed of photographs documenting the couple and Senji Nakajima's diary.