In recent years, Rinko Kawauchi’s photographic practice has gradually shifted beyond the intimate observations of everyday life that defined her earlier work. With Halo, she continues an exploration of spirituality, ritual and the unseen rhythms connecting humans and nature, expanding the scope introduced in her earlier investigations of sacred landscapes and cycles of existence.

The project centres on the coastal region of Izumo in Japan’s Shimane Prefecture, interwoven with photographs made during New Year celebrations in Hebei province, China, where molten iron is thrown into the air in place of fireworks, alongside recurring images of birds moving collectively along the coast of Brighton, England. Through these different locations and traditions, the work traces correspondences between natural phenomena, human ritual and the passage of time.

Across the sequence, patterns emerge between elemental forces, seasonal transitions and collective gestures. Kawauchi constructs a visual rhythm in which landscapes, ceremonies and fleeting atmospheric moments become connected through subtle echoes and repetitions.

While contemporary Japanese photography has often focused on urban environments, Kawauchi’s recent work turns toward the natural world and the larger systems that shape human existence. Rather than directly addressing catastrophe, the photographs acknowledge forces beyond human control, suggesting an awareness of fragility, interconnectedness and transformation.