This work is featured in I’m So Happy You Are Here: Japanese Women Photographers from the 1950s to Now, which surveys the work of 25 Japanese women photographers from the 1950s to the present. The volume challenges traditional narratives within the history of Japanese photography by centering the perspectives, innovations, and lived experiences of women artists. Through portfolios, critical essays, and historical contextualization, the publication reveals a rich spectrum of approaches—ranging from documentary and street photography to experimental and conceptual practices. Originally published as a photobook in 2003, Liquid Dreams is a vibrant photographic series characterized by Ninagawa’s signature hyper-saturated palette and experimental compositions. In these images, ordinary aquatic life is transformed into shimmering, dreamlike forms. Goldfish, water, and refracted light dissolve into kaleidoscopic fields of color, blurring the boundaries between nature and fantasy. The series exemplifies Ninagawa’s ability to elevate the everyday into the theatrical, crafting immersive visual environments that are at once sensorial and surreal. The proceeds from the sale of this print directly supports the artist and Aperture’s nonprofit publishing, educational, and public programs.
