ANGELS IN RUSSIA

• International Scope: Captures portraits of Russian youth across multiple cities—Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Magadan, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and Volgograd—offering a panoramic glimpse into diverse regional subcultures.
• Emotive Portraiture: Nakamura’s sensitive black-and-white photography reveals a timeless innocence and introspection in his subjects.
• Elegant Presentation: Pressed on high-quality paper and bound in hardcover, with a dust jacket and eye-catching bright-red slipcase stamped “ANGELS” on the spine.
• Collectible Edition: First edition, widely regarded as a cult favorite among adult photobook collectors in Japan.
• Urban-Rural Contrast: The juxtaposition of wide-open Russian landscapes and intimate portraiture creates a compelling visual narrative.
  

In ANGELS IN RUSSIA, Noboru Nakamura ventures beyond Japan to chronicle the youthful beauty and raw humanity of Russian young women, captured between 2005 and early 2006. The subtitle CAN’T STOP FALLIN’ LOVE teases the emotional pull these portraits evoke, as mid-century innocence meets post-Soviet openness.
This photobook spans 128 pages of imagery, tucked into a sturdy B5 hardcover measuring approximately 26 × 18 cm. The red slipcase envelops the volume, its bold simplicity mirroring the vulnerability within. Nakamura’s lens alternates between candid close-ups and contemplative stillness, focusing on expressive eyes, windswept hair, and fleeting moments that hint at universal longing.

Key Highlights:

• Scenic Diversity: From the Pacific port of Vladivostok to the steppes of Volgograd, each region offers distinct backdrops that highlight the varied lives and spirits of the subjects.
• Emotional Nuance: Faces captured midway in song, thought, or silent gaze evoke complex narratives, far beyond transient beauty.
• Design Refinement: The hardcover and slipcase’s minimalist typography and visual restraint amplify the emotional resonance of the portraits.
• Rare Find: Once a magazine special supplement via Weekly Playboy, this standalone release is now a prized gem among collectors.
• Atmospheric Duality: The tension between individual vulnerability and broad horizons underlines Nakamura’s vision of beauty infused with place.

ANGELS IN RUSSIA transcends conventional photobooks by fusing emotional intimacy with geographic breadth. Nakamura’s portraits feel both immediate and timeless, inviting the reader to explore not just faces, but stories suspended between childhood dreams and everyday reality.
Are you ready to uncover the tender, fleeting moments of youth captured across Russia, through Nakamura’s empathetic lens?