Sayuri Ichida had often been at odds with her sister during their childhood in the snowy Japanese prefecture of Niigata. After their mother’s death from cancer when they were teenagers, however, their bond began to grow.
In a series called Playing the Piano Upstairs – a nod to memories of cathartic piano lessons the sisters took together as children – the UK-based artist revisits Niigata, tenderly photographing her sibling in stark landscapes that embody movement and shadow, whimsy and melancholy. As Ichida explains: “This series grew from the shifting relationship between my sister and me – how silence, conflict and shared grief slowly transformed into a deeper closeness.”
Playing the Piano Upstairs is at IBASHO gallery in Antwerp until 11 January. Ichida is one of the winners of the Jerwood/Photoworks awards. An exhibition of her work will be touring the UK in 2026.