Mother's #35 Possibly 2001 - 2014

Ishiuchi Miyako made this photograph, Mother's #35, using film and a camera. Look closely at the lipstick. It is a faded pink, used, and has a past. It’s almost gone. I wonder who used it and when. Maybe it has a scent, some trace of perfume, that reminds you of your own mother or grandmother. The lipstick’s surface is a little rough, which makes me think of skin texture, close up. There is a certain intimacy in this image, like looking into a mirror or peering into a private world. I feel like Ishiuchi is inviting us to contemplate beauty, memory, and the traces we leave behind. The silver casing looks almost new. Ishiuchi's other works also focus on similar objects, and you can see that she has an interest in the traces we leave behind, the way we mark our presence. Her works have a personal touch. You feel like you know the person who left the trace. The conversation between artists is ongoing. We all build on the ideas of those who came before, taking inspiration and pushing boundaries. Artists are in constant dialogue across time.