In the Wake
Japanese Photographers Respond to 3/11April 5, 2015 – July 12, 2015
Henry and Lois Foster Gallery (Gallery 158)
The Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, and an enormous wave of water swept through towns in the Tōhoku (Northeast) region, destroying virtually everything in its path and irrevocably damaging the Fukushima nuclear power plant. This triple disaster was of such epic proportions that it became a defining moment for Japan. A number of photographers felt compelled to record not only the events’ physical effects on the land, but also to interpret the overarching significance of the tragedy through art. This exhibition is the first in the US or Japan to explore the photographic response to these events. Divided into two sections—the first focused on the earthquake and tsunami and the second on the Fukushima disaster—the exhibition includes the work of 17 photographers, some of whom are among Japan’s most celebrated artists (such as Naoya Hatakeyama and Nobuyoshi Araki) and others who are emerging talents. Taken as a whole, their work explores the way art provides a powerful language for reflecting on tragic events and contributing to human recovery.
http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/in-the-wake
◇ In the Wake: Japanese Photographers Respond to 3-11: Anne Nishimura Morse, Anne Havinga, Michio Hayashi, Marilyn Ivy: 9780878468270: Amazon.com: Books
The catastrophic events of March 11, 2011-the earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant-have been called "the triple disaster" in Japan. Among the first artists to respond to these experiences were photographers. Some attempted to document the devastation, while others ruminated on the meaning and use of photography in the wake of tragedy. As the immediate effects of the earthquake and tsunami gave way to nuclear disaster, artists began to respond to the challenges of depicting an invisible threat that calls up the collective memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Artists include Takashi Arai, Nobuyoshi Araki, Ishu Han, Naoya Hatakeyama, Takashi Homma, Kikuji Kawada, Rinko Kawauchi, Keizo Kitajima, Kozo Miyoshi, Masato Seto, Lieko Shiga, Shimpei Takada, Masaru Tatsuki, Daisuke Yokota and Tomoko Yoneda.
http://www.amazon.com/In-Wake-Japanese-Photographers-Respond/dp/0878468277
