A documentary shot by Community Media about my portrait project From Above. The project concentrates on the lives of Hibakusha (atomic bomb Survivors) and Tokyo fire bombing Survivors. It was shown at Gallery EF in Tokyo during March 2009 and at the Nagasaki Peace Museum during July 2010.
A recent article appearing in the Tokyo Shimbun about Hibakusha Ms. Hisayo Yamashita speaking at Gallery EF.
She will be speaking about her experiences surviving the atomic bomb in Hiroshima at Gallery EF on October 2nd and 3rd. If your in Tokyo please stop by.
The English translation will start about half way through video, around 2 minutes 30 seconds.
If your in Tokyo on October 2nd or 3rd, please come hear Ms. Hisayo Yamashita speak at Gallery EF in Asakusa. I was lucky to have photographed her for my From Above exhibition earlier this year.
Copy of an article written by Tetsu Morii in Nishi Nippon newspaper appearing August 3rd, 2010. The article covers a photo session I did with Nagasaki Hibakusha Mr. Senji Yamaguchi.
Throughout his life Mr. Yamaguchi has been a dedicated Hibakusha activist. He is know by many from a photograph taken of his upper body showing keloid scars.
In 1982, he addressed a UN Special Session on Disarmament. Mr. Yamaguchi tirelessly traveled the world speaking to anyone who wanted to hear about the horrors of nuclear weapons.
I photographed Mr. Yamaguchi while in Nagasaki for the From Above photo exhibition. It was an unexpected opportunity. One of those great surprises.
He is in very fragile condition. But still has a sharp mind and understanding of current events. He hasn’t left his home much in 7 years. I greatly appreciate the invitation from his wife, Sachiko, to meet Mr. Yamaguchi.
I enjoyed the 40 minutes photographing and speaking with him. I will never forget. He is probably the most impressive person I’ve ever photographed.
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Mr. Takahara Itaru is a Nagasaki Hibakusha. He survived the fire bombing of Tokyo on March 10th, 1945. He returned home to Nagasaki and witnessed the atomic bomb being dropped on August 9th, 1945.
Takahara-san is a very well know photojournalist in Japan. During the years after the atomic bomb, he documented what was lost in the city. He just published a book Nagasaki Urakami Cathedral, 1945-1958: An Atomic Bomb Relic Lost. His photos document the remains of the Urakami Cathedral after the atomic bomb destroyed the largest church in East Asia.
His photos span the 13 years after the atomic bomb, showing how the Christians continued to worship and tried to maintain some of the damaged relics. The closing photos show members of the parish clearing away the strong stoic remains of the heavily destroyed cathedral. To make way for the new cathedral.
I was very lucky to photograph Takahara-san at my exhibition in the Nagasaki Peace Museum.