Vincent Borrelli, Bookseller

Daido Moriyama: Record No. 39 / Kiroku No. 39 [SIGNED]

MORIYAMA, Daido

Publisher: Tokyo: Akio Nagasawa Publishing, 2018
Edition: 1st Edition
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New / No dust jacket as issued
Item #: 113327

$49.50

Specifics

First edition, first printing. Signed (in English) on the title page by Moriyama. Soft cover. Photographically illustrated wrappers. Photographs and text (in Japanese and English) by Daido Moriyama. Designed by Rie Shimoda. Unpaginated (120 pp.), with full-bleed black-and-white plates throughout beautifully printed in Japan by Tokyo Inshokan Co., Ltd. 11 x 8-3/8 inches.

Condition

New.

Description

From the Afterword by Daido Moriyama: “I guess the expression “chorosuna” is no longer used these days.

It was still alive among Japanese photographers back when I became a freelance photographer about half a century ago. It’s an expression that hints at the way photographers at the time were roaming the streets with their cameras in their hands, and taking snapshots in a casual fashion.

However, today it seems that photographers taking street snaps like that have become extremely rare. This probably has to do with that notion of (self-)control through social conventions and regulations regarding matters of portrait rights or encroachment of privacy. But that’s not all, as it appears to me that the fact that photography itself has changed with the times plays a rather important role as well. I guess it’s no longer what photography is all about. It rarely happens these days that I spot young photographers on the prowl in the streets with their cameras around their necks.

Nonetheless, even against the backdrop of such general mood, I’m still continuing to do my own “chorosuna” up to this day. Depending on how you look at it, the style of my camerawork might as well be described as “sneaking shots,” and I’m in fact spending hours on end sneaking snapshots in the streets with my pocket camera.”

From the artist: "It was 34 years ago, back in 1972, that I came out with the self-published photo journal 'Kiroku.' At the time, I was busy with all sorts of work for magazines. Partly because of a daily feeling inside that I shouldn't let myself get carried away by it all, I came up with the idea of a small, self-published personal photo journal. Without any ties to work or any fixed topic, I just wanted to continue publishing a 16-page booklet with an arbitrary selection of favorite photos among the pictures I snapped from day to day. By nature, it was directed first and foremost to myself rather than other people. I wanted a simple, basic title, so I called it 'Kiroku' (record). However, the publication of 'Kiroku' sadly ended with issue number five. Now, thanks to the willpower and efforts of Akio Nagasawa, 'Kiroku' the magazine has resumed publication. Or rather, we should call it a fresh publication. With the hope that it will continue this time, I am selfishly thinking of asking Mr. Nagasawa to publish 'Kiroku' at a pace of four issues per year. I happily accept his proposal and look forward now to embarking on a new 'voyage of recording.'"