It's all the same person!! School girls and teacher included! When I first stumbled across the works of Tomoko Sawada I was amazed. Her unending variance of looks made my mind boggle. The 400+ looks began with Sawada's self proclaimed inferiority complex and a fascination with how she could aesthetically transform through photography."As I looked at my pictures again and again, the gap between my real image and my image in a picture widened. In other words, my appearance could be changed easily, but my personality did not change."
Her work emphasizes the emerging norms for woman in Japanese society which are diversifying further each day. Before I came to Japan I had two vague ideas in my mind; traditional demure kimono wearing women and crazy outlandish Harajuku girls. Sawada embraces all gender stereotypes- the giggling school girl, beauty pageant contestant, stern police woman or a hopeful young lady posing for omiai to name a few. In turning chameleon Sawada's variances can be found in subtle details like a facial expression, posture or a kg or rwo lost or gained. Then there are the more obvious transformations; a haircut, a costume and make up application.
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