By Jess Flaherty

Copyright walesonline

A husband started photographing his wife every day before work – and when the pictures were made public, everyone spotted the same detail. The photographs are the work of the acclaimed photographer, Masahisa Fukase, who undertook various projects that provided a unique perspective and understanding of life and relationships . Born in the small town of Bifuka, Hokkaido, in Japan in 1934, the photographer moved to Tokyo in the 1950s to continue his education but maintained his affection for his tiny hometown. One of his works, From Window, has experienced a revival of attention and acclaim, even among those unacquainted with Fukase’s photography. In numerous shots, captured during the 70s, the photographer documented his then-wife, Yoko Wanibe, from a fourth floor window while she was outside beneath, leaving to go to work . This perspective is intended to establish a feeling of distance between the photographer and his subject, while still recording the closeness of domesticity. The couple’s marriage didn’t last, though. They had separated by 1976 after wedding in 1964. Gallerist Michael Hoppen, an admirer of the photographer, told Dazed: “Yoko appeared in many guises. This included intimate scenes of their domestic life, subversively staged wedding pictures, a dramatic shoot in an abattoir and even a formal death portrait.” In the photographs, there’s a mixture of playful satisfaction – Yoko can be spotted poking out her tongue, bending over and gazing up at the camera, or extending her leg – alongside a noticeable remoteness and lack of engagement – she often appears bored, disengaged and distant. Recently, a series of the photographs were posted on social media, with countless people captivated by Yoko’s “impeccable” fashion sense. Her clothing choices serve as a visual chronicle of the 70s, featuring flared jeans, knee-high boots, mini dresses, tailored patterned suits and more, with countless Instagram users insisting they’d sport these looks today. A was posted by History Photographed shared a collection of the photograph series to its popular Instagram page alongside a caption reading: “From the 1974 series ‘From Window’, photographer Masahisa Fukase captured his wife, Yoko, every morning as she left their apartment for work.⁠ ⁠”Taken just two years before their divorce, the series is a poignant and obsessive visual diary of their deteriorating relationship, with the window frame acting as a metaphor for the growing emotional distance between them.” In the comments section, people expressed their opinions. One person said: “Can we talk about her fashion!!!!????” Another said: “She was a fashion icon”, while a third summarised: “Fashionable and has personality”. A fourth simply said: “Very stylish!” Another shared: “I would wear every outfit right now”. And another commented: “Super stylish… omg”. One person said: “1974??? Her fashion sense is impeccable”. Someone else said: “Style icon”. Another claimed: “The fashion we want back”. And another Instagram user shared: “I want every single one of those fits!” while one person added: “Her style is immaculate”. In 1992, Fukase fell down a flight of stairs and suffered a traumatic brain injury which left him in a coma until his death 20 years later in 2012.