Disaster, Photography and Ethics

Naoya Hatakeyama, Yoneasaki-cho 2011.5.1, from the series Rikuzentakata, 2011; chromogenic print; courtesy the artist and Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo; © Naoya Hatakeyama The renown photographer Naoya Hatakeyama recalls a strange and unsettling experience on the day that Japan was hit by a triple disaster. At the moment the earthquake struck Japan, Hatakeyama attended a pre-arranged…

Tetsuya Higashikawa’s Nocturnal Landscapes

Tetsuya Higashikawa, New Moon, 2011 More than two years have passed since 3.11 – the most commonly used term to describe Japan’s zero hour in March 2011. The media has had an important role to play in the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake. Photography too was essential in ‘exposing’ the depth and scope of…