TOMATO by SHIORI AKIBA

SHIORI AKIBA is a Japanese photographer based in London. Her work explores gender roles, body image and the visual language of eroticism through photography.

In Tomato, Shiori explores eroticism through vivid colours, glossy surfaces and exaggerated forms. The tomato is associated with “perfect beauty” in some interpretations of Japanese flower language, which made her think about the expectations placed on women’s bodies to be beautiful, desirable and perfect. Through these playful and slightly absurd images, she explores and questions these ideals on her own terms.

"Growing up in Japan, I was surrounded by erotic imagery from a young age. While drawn to its visual intensity, I’ve also questioned how much of it is shaped by the male gaze."

- Shiori Akiba