Of all the athletes in the world, sumo wrestlers rank right up there with football players as the least likely to be described as graceful. But the gorgeously composed photos that comprise Tomoki Momozono‘s Art of Sumo depict the hidden beauty in the sport, in close-ups of mammoth wrestlers dipping their hands in chalk, resting their taped-up hands on their giant knees, balanced in impossible-looking poses, and locked in holds you could mistake for tender embraces. The series is striking because it gives us what we so rarely see in sports photography: stillness, serenity, and — yes — art. Our favorite Art of Sumo photos are after the jump; see more at Behance, where you can also find a selection of Momozono’s other athlete portraits.
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono
Photo credit: Tomoki Momozono