A fashion photographer Becky Yee is a Chinese-American native New Yorker. Living and working in Tokyo for eight years, Japan would be the main source of her inspiration. Focusing on the extreme contrast between Ura (backside) and Omote (frontside), the difference in space between private emotions and public perceptions, are explored in her work.
She photographed the single human occupant, a middle-aged computer engineer in a three-bedroom apartment in the outskirts of Tokyo. He is the self-proclaimed world’s largest collector of “Dutch wives” (“Datchu-waifu”), anatomically correct life-sized love dolls.
These photographs seek to explore more than the Dutch wives’ obvious function of satisfying sexual and physical needs. Discovered visually were the basic cravings for companionship, unconditional love, unwavering loyalty as well as the importance of trust, acceptance and deep intimacy. All these needs he feels unable to find in a human relationship are somehow satiated by his cast of Dutch wives. This harem of Dutch wives creates his perfect world of perfect women and, in his estimation, are “More than a Woman” can ever be. (But perfection, while inherently good, always has its flaws.)
Closely collaborated with the artist, a 6x9 inch, hardcover exhibition catalog for her first solo show in NYC was designed in 2009. The cover was printed with gradient in peach color and hi-gloss finish to mimic the doll's artificial skin. As a result, the cover appears as quiet and sophisticated. On the other hand, the interior text pages were set in loud 'candy' cyan. Helvetica was chosen as the typeface for the project because of its mechanically drawn, cold quality.
The catalog was awarded merit in HOW International Design Competition in 2010.