Shima no Ama — Kusukazu Uraguchi, Atelier EXB

An entire way of life surfaces through bodies, labor, and ritual. Photographed over three decades from the 1950s, this work documents the ama—Japanese women free-divers—at the intersection of tradition and change. Drawn from an archive of nearly 40,000 negatives, largely unpublished, the images move between underwater scenes, portraits, and coastal landscapes. Uraguchi’s sharp contrasts and instinctive framing capture both the physical intensity of their work and the quiet autonomy that defines this community.

Technical Sheet
Title: Shima no Ama
Artist / Author: Kusukazu Uraguchi
Medium / Materials: Hardcover book
Dimensions (cm): 22 x 28
Pages: 168
Language: English
Publisher / Editor: Atelier EXB