《坂本龍一 Ryuichi Sakamoto 1998》Photobook

In 1998, Japanese music master Ryuichi Sakamoto arrived in Hong Kong with his album 《Discord》. Widely regarded by countless fans as a masterpiece, the album cover was designed by legendary Japanese graphic designer Hideki Nakajima, and remains one of the significant works in the history of Japanese graphic design. During that same period, Hong Kong photographer Rensis Ho captured a series of iconic portraits of Ryuichi Sakamoto in his studio.

Twenty-eight years later, Rensis Ho revisited and carefully curated these precious photographs taken of Ryuichi Sakamoto. Published by Hong Kong photography media Visible Press, 《Ryuichi Sakamoto 1998》 is more than a photobook—it is a memory preserved by time.

To pay tribute to this significant chapter in history, Visible Press invited Hong Kong designer Benny Au, a longtime acquaintance of Hideki Nakajima, to lead the design of the publication. Inspired directly by the visual language of 《Discord》, the cover design serves as a heartfelt tribute to Hideki Nakajima, who passed away in 2022, allowing the creative spirits of two different eras to meet once again.

《Ryuichi Sakamoto 1998》 was conceived around the idea of “What if this were a vinyl album released by Ryuichi Sakamoto in 1998?” The entire package is designed as a complete record-like artwork. In addition to the photobook featuring 36 pages of rare photographs and written content, the set also includes a foreword written by veteran radio DJ Dr. Wong Chi Chung, as well as a 24-inch collector’s poster.

The set also includes a unique silent vinyl record—one without sound, yet filled with imagination surrounding time, memory, and silence. Like Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music, it can still be heard even within the quiet.