The Fisherwomen, 2016

After researching the Women’s Life Saving League, I began looking more closely at other societies in which women worked collectively to create change, support one another, raise children, earn a living, and balance both home and work. Since the beginning of my career, I have had opportunities to exhibit in Japan. In 2015, I learned about the Ama and was struck by what an extraordinary group of women they were—the last generation of divers continuing a practice that spanned more than 500 years. I was able to locate stories and portraits from the period that impressed me most, between 1930 and 1932.

These women worked as a team, using their naked bodies to endure frigid waters while collecting seaweed, abalone, and pearls, which they later sold on the docks. Because they had more body fat than men, the Ama became iconic as Japan’s only female diving teams. They earned more than men and were highly respected within their society. I chose this period because the level of training required—to stay warm in cold waters, hold their breath for up to three minutes, and row their boats to and from shore was especially profound during a critical moment in world history.