A collection of photographs at the miraculous nexus of reality and theatricality.

When Rocco the cat entered his life, Masaki Hoshino had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The mystical allure of Rocco’s ways soon captivated the former stage producer, reigniting his professional passion; and from that day onward he began to photograph his new “actor,” painstakingly preparing angles and lighting and chasing after the free-spirited feline all the while struggling with his own worsening physical debility. Luv. Rocco is the product of that endeavor, the profound and serendipitous culmination of three years of intense engagement between photographer and subject.

Masaki Hoshinowas born in 1951 in Tokyo. From 1973 to 1976 he worked as assistant director and director in the stage department of Toho Co. before leaving the company for a career as a stage producer under the name of Ken Mochizuki. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1990. His work includes productions of L’Aigle à deux têtes (by Jean Cocteau), The Sea God’s Villa (by Kyoka Izumi), and the musical Sweet Charity.

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