Why do we so often share only our happiest moments with others? With her 2011 work '365 Days: A Catalogue of Tears', Laurel Nakadate answered that question by photographing herself crying every single day for a year. Recorded everywhere from her New York apartment to planes, trains, hotels, and her childhood home, the weeping reframes tears as a daily ritual, capturing the moments just before, during, and right after, and dissolving the line between staging and lived experience.
In these photographs Nakadate shows more than sadness: human vulnerability and inner pain. Sitting by a window watching raindrops, feeling isolated on a plane, even holding back tears in her underwear. Her images lead viewers to re-experience and empathize with the emotion. (Some days the tears came naturally, the artist has said, while on others she thought of a pet or listened to sad songs. Perhaps even that process is a moment we all recognize.)
The work challenges the norms of happy imagery that social media enforces, reminding us that sorrow and loneliness are natural human emotions too. Recorded across 365 days, Nakadate's tears go beyond a simple daily log; they stand as a forceful artistic achievement that commits the truth of human experience to the photographic medium.
Credit. 365_tears
FAQ
What is Laurel Nakadate's 365 Days work about?
This 2011 work documented herself crying every day for one year. She recorded tears in various locations from her New York apartment to airplanes, trains, and hotels, revealing human vulnerability and inner suffering.
How did Laurel Nakadate film herself crying daily?
Some days tears came naturally, while other days she recalled pets or listened to sad songs. She captured moments before crying, while crying, and after shedding tears.
