Sayuri Ichida’s work in Absentee is deeply personal, drawing on her experiences, memories, and identity, as she explores themes such as loss, grief, and immigration. All the while reflecting on her extended time away from her native Japan. The series Absentee features Ichida using her own body to express the fragility and transience of life.
After graduating from Tokyo Visual Arts College in 2006, Ichida launched her career in commercial photography, initially in Tokyo and later in New York. In 2016, she shifted her focus from fashion photography to art photography, a transition that was solidified by her completion of an MA in Photography Arts at the University of Westminster, London, in 2022.
Loss and emotions in Absentee
Having lost her mother in her late teens, Ichida initially set aside the complex emotions associated with grief and death. However, fifteen years later the pandemic reignited her feelings of loss and mourning for her mother, whilst creating anxiety for her mortality.
In these works, she places her body next to everyday objects, creating a visual contrast between the softness of the human form and the rigid lines of inanimate materials. This juxtaposition symbolises the shifting states between calm and anxiety.
Ctrl shift + J
The exhibition also includes a group of seven works from the series Ctrl shift + J, which continues to explore immigration and the search for belonging. Its title references a keyboard shortcut Ichida often uses when typing in Japanese, serving as a subtle nod to her national identity.
Ichida’s work articulates a sense of displacement, as she constantly questions where she truly belongs. The series delves into the psychological effects of relocation and emigration experienced throughout her life.
Internationally recognized
Ichida’s work has been presented internationally in numerous exhibitions, art fairs, and photography festivals. She has had solo exhibitions at PhMuseum Lab, Bologna, and Ibasho Gallery, Antwerp, and her work has been shown at international art fairs including Art Paris, Paris Photo, Spark Art Fair Vienna, and Unseen Amsterdam, presented by Ibasho Gallery.
Her works are held in the collections of Museum Voorlinden and Sammlung Verbund. Her photobook Absentee was named one of the ten best photobooks by the Prix Nadar Prize. Ichida’s recent project Ctrl Shift + J was shortlisted for the Grand Prix Images Vevey and selected for the Benrido Award as part of the Hariban Award. In 2024, she received the Jerwood Photoworks Awards 5.
Absentee at the Leica Gallery, London
Absentee by Sayuri Ichida will run from January 17 until March 19 at Leica Gallery, London. All 25 works in the exhibition are for sale.
For further information, please contact Lou Proud at gallery.london@leica-camera.com Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday 10.00 – 18.00 (Thursday 10.00 – 19.00).
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