Produced in 2023, this art book is the work of graphic designer Yumiko Tashiro. She has previously released publications centred on the collection of images, such as NPC, which extracts portraits from newspapers, and THE MEMO LISA, a compilation of drawings of the Mona Lisa made from memory by people close to her. This book features newspaper photographs of figures from the pandemic era, with all their mouths masked out in the shape of face coverings. Through daily interactions with masked individuals, she found herself imagining the mouths hidden beneath, a habit that has left her gaze unconsciously drawn to people's mouths even now that the pandemic has subsided. The very format of the book gives form to its subject matter—from the stark white cover that subtly evokes a mask to the light, airy paper of its pages—offering a reflection on our gaze and memory through the lens of graphic design.
