This “Grau Zone” is composed of unpublished works of Hanayo taken after her return to Japan in 2010 from her 15 years stay in Germany.

As always in Hanayo’s work, this series of photographs tries to depart from overused ways of photographic expression, and this time, with new challenge of monochrome photographs. Characteristic blurred pictures merged into the world of monochrome, it appears like a daydream calling your nostalgia. Although the subject of “ordinary day” can still be seen here, the style seems to have shifted from bright pop to somehow fantastic, lyrical approaches.

Hanayo says, she could re-discover Japan as if new places, through photographs taken after her long stay in Germany. Tokyo, as her hometown, friends in new places – the time accumulated in the places plus a momentary spark that happens when encountering something new – these will be gradually appeared on paper through manual printing of analogue films. At the same time, it reminds us of the nature of photography that captures a moment of no return. Challenging, and intimacy – the approach of Grey Area does represent the artist’s life itself.

Art Direction: Yoshihisa Tanaka

Design: Rin Takehiro

Size: 257×182 mm, Without binding, 40 pages

Price: 3,000 yen

Edition: 100

Printed: Hakko Bijutsu

Publisher: Baby Panda Printing

Year: 2013