The Project
On 11 March 2011, an earthquake with the magnitude of 9 struck the North-Eastern part of Japan. It was neither
the first in recent years nor the strongest in history, yet the devastating consequences this time were beyond
anyone’s imagination. Not only did a tsunami of unprecedented strength literally wash away many villages,
defying all measures of protection that had been taken and robbing countless lifes, the collapse of nuclear
reactors in the Fukushima power plant and the subsequent radiation left the nation aghast before an invisible and unscalable threat.
When coming back to Japan after a hiatus of a year in 2012, I noticed a change in behaviour, in attitude that
had taken place: Gone was the optimism that had always kept the country on course, even in the face of natural
disasters that frequently strike the archipelago. Fear and uncertainty had spread, putting the nation in a sort
of zombie mode where everyone kept on with his daily life without knowing what tomorrow would bring. Using a
modified digital camera that captures infrared pictures, I sought to translate this particular mood into a
photographic series, called “Tokyo Radiant”.
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The Book and Your Contribution
My plan is to publish a photo book of this series, with around 84 pages and 100 pictures, on 200g fine art paper and bound in hardcover. Layout for this book is almost finished, and completion and shipping is scheduled for early October 2016.
The $ 4,000 USD I am asking for will cover production of the book, especially the printing part. In order to shoulder this, I am looking for your contribution. Help me realize this project, be part of it and receive either the book or one of my other perks. As a piece of art, this series belongs to everyone who supports it!
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Why this Matters
Let's be honest: As a piece of art, this project's whole justification lies in what it means to me, the photographer, and you, the audience. Despite its serious topic, it is no political piece and not meant to be accusatory in any way. Tokyo Radiant is an individual visualization of a world whose sense of security and certainty were shattered from one day to the other. If you like it, I am more than happy to receive your support!
If you feel with the victims and want to do good, please have a look at the many NGOs that are specializing in this. I purposely do not wish to link this to the support of my book, because I feel it to be a bad compromise. Any help for the victims, many of whom still are living in temporary homes, probably matters much more than this book, but if you like the pictures and the idea behind it, you should support it, and exactly for this reason. By the way, you can find links to selected NGOs on my project website, www.tokyo-radiant.com
If you like the project, but do choose not to support it financially, please consider spreading the word and sharing the information with people you know. Many thanks in advance!
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About myself
I am a photographer whose work is focused on urbanity, man-made objects and strange encounters. So far, I have published two photo books with renowned German publishing houses. Having lived in Japan for a couple of years and still going there frequently, I feel deeply attached to the topic of this work.
Books:
- Tokio im Licht der Nacht. Berlin: Parthas, 2008.
- Frankfurter Nächte. Frankfurt: Societäts Verlag, 2013.
Website:
www.philipp-zechner.com
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Spread the word!
If you like this project, please spread the word by sharing the information on your social media account, via your blog, etc. Please also visit my website www.tokyo-radiant.com for more pictures and more detailed information. Many thanks in advance for your support!
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