Kensuke Koike

Koike works in collage, usually with forgotten vintage portraits found at flea markets. I love how he never adds or removes any element from the image, instead repurposing every piece to create something new. Since he uses one-of-a-kind vintage prints, Koike can't afford to make mistakes with his work. However, according to an interview with Beyond Photography, he used to work on his own images, meaning he could reprint them whenever he made mistakes. This allowed him to practice and perfect his craft before he challenged himself to unique images. His method involves a lot of planning and a sharp blade, as well as years of practice. I love how he makes something completely new from each image, and I particularly like the pieces that reduce one image into a more condensed portrait, like the examples below.