Fumiko Imano

Imano spent her childhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and when she moved to Hitachi aged eight, she struggled to assimilate into Japanese culture, describing herself as an ‘alien’. As an antidote to such loneliness, she fabricated a fictional twin. The two appear together in everyday spaces: in the park, standing before landmarks, riding elevators and browsing bookstores. Inspired in part by her father’s scrapbooks and photo albums, Imano uses a photographic style reminiscent of the family snapshot - using wide angles and centrally framed subjects to document her imaginary friendship.

What is the meaning of your work?

“I exist here. What I want to say is that ‘I am here’. Self-portraiture helped me to get to know myself.”

Can you explain your fascination with self-portraiture?

“In the beginning, I had a complex about myself and my appearance, so I started to challenge this, really studying what I looked like. When I was at Central Saint Martins and then London College of Fashion, I struggled to collaborate with other people. Fashion photography is about sharing credits, and I didn’t like that – I was an artist. By taking photos of myself – self-portraiture, I became self-sufficient. How self-portraiture is seen has changed a lot. Now everyone takes self-portraits, or ‘selfies’, on Instagram and stuff. When I first started out, not many people were doing it. It’s changed a lot. The audience, too. It’s much more difficult now.”

How would you describe yourself?

“A lone wolf. I want to be a family wolf, but maybe it isn’t for me.”