Uraguchi Kusukazu - Shima no Ama

Japanese photographer Uraguchi Kusukazu, a native of Shima on the Pacific coast, has devoted over thirty years to documenting the lives of the ama (Japanese 'women of the sea') in his region, in their most diverse aspects.  His photographs illuminate the age-old practices of the ama, capturing their energy at every moment.   Nurtured by their vitality and the trust they have bestowed on him, he has developed a visual language marked by intensity and expressivity. 
For more than three thousand years, ama, the Japanese 'women of the sea', have populated the shores of the archipelago, freediving for seaweed and abalone.  Their special place the Japanese imagination, their sensual connection to the water, their fearlessness and sovereignty have fascinated poets and artists for centuries.