"In the Tokyo subway, all the seats are placed along the sides of the passenger cars leaving the central space for standing. High handles placed directly above the seats allow standing passengers to face those seated without the risk of falling on them.

From this standing perspective, looking down, we are led to observe the hands of the passengers seated directly in front of us, their attitudes, what they’re holding, their books, their phone screens...With my mobile phone  in hand to pass the time, like the majority of the people on the subway,  I started taking photos of the view I had and gradually developed this collection.

Between 2020 and 2023, during each one of my several trips to Tokyo, I constantly sought out the most narrative hands and the most expressive clothing styles. When the subway arrived at the platform, I was already scanning the travelers through the windows, planning where to position myself in the passenger car and like any collector, the quest for hands with unique styles became an obsession of mine."

Caroline Grimprel

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