Artist Statement →
In “Tokyo Stories” Elodie Grethen explores intimacy and the possibilities of new encounters in Japan. In a society where every interaction is defined by etiquette, is there room for intimacy? Which form does it take? Through social media, dating apps and personal recommendations, Grethen was able to encounter Japanese people and foreigners living in Tokyo. She photographed them in their home, in their neighborhood, and sometimes in hidden love hotels. By entering their home and therefore their world, she gained their trust and started gathering stories. Stories about love, about family, about sex, about the city. These stories and secrets accompany the photographs and show the immediacy of a new environment and the freedom of new encounters. The photobook “Tokyo Stories” has been awarded as one of the most beautiful books in Austria for 2017 and has been shortlisted and exhibited in many photo-festivals in Europe.