Fukushima: Hope and Despair

The exhibition features 48 photographs and 4 videos for the projects “Border for a Prayer” (since 2012) and “The Sea Wall” (since 2019) by Japanese photographer Shigeru Yoshida.

On March 11, 2021, it will be exactly 10 years since the catastrophe: the largest tsunami caused by the earthquake hit the east coast of Honshu Island in the Fukushima region. More than 20 thousand people died, hundreds of thousands were forced to move. The usual lifestyle of many people was over.

Shigeru Yoshida was one of many who was deeply shocked by the tragedy of Fukushima. As soon as it became possible, he visited the disaster area. By this time, Shigeru had been working as a commercial and magazine photographer for over 20 years. What he saw in Fukushima changed his life forever.

“When I visited the stricken area, I saw a lot of people praying towards the sea, which took many lives. At that time I decided to start a photographic project “Border for a Prayer”. I don’t think I can save or help victims by myself. But I can throw a small stone into the water and make many ripples. My stone is the project. I try to convey the hidden energy of prayer in my photographs. ”

Shigeru increased the shutter speed of the camera to 1 minute, which corresponds to the duration of the prayer of the residents of Fukushima. For 10 years, he has been visiting the coast, observing the changes in people's lives, carrying out his project.

In 2019, Shigeru Yoshida began a second long-term photographic project dedicated to a unique engineering structure - the Sea Wall. To prevent disasters in the future, the Japanese government decided to build a 15 m high and 400 km long wall along the sea coast. The harmonious coexistence of people and nature was jeopardized, but such was the price for their safety. Locals no longer could enjoy beautiful ocean landscapes, having a concrete wall to look at instead. A wall that can be a symbol of hope or despair, depending on your point of view.

Exhibition curator Andrey Martynov.

About the Author:

Shigeru Yoshida was born in Tokyo in 1958. His works were exhibited in Japan, Russia, Italy, USA. In 2012, he founded the Samurai Foto Photographers Association: https://clck.ru/SSiDo

Media partner: The Japan Foundation

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