Les Souvenirs Des Autres

First edition, First impression of Les Souvenirs Des Autres by Akihiko Okamura. Medium format hardback in new condition. Text in French.

About

During the Troubles, the struggle for independence that lasted from 1969 to 1998, Northern Ireland attracted a large number of foreign photojournalists who came to document the events. Some of them found a subject that touched them personally, pushing them to go beyond the codes of photojournalism. Such was the case, for example, of Japanese photographer Akihiko Okamura (1929-1985), who from 1969 until his death in 1985, produced a singular body of work in colour, favouring soft, luminous tones that contrasted with the reportage of the time. At times, his images even seem to detach themselves from reality. Through the simplicity of his framing and the strength of his composition, Okamura bears witness to the permanence of war in the instability of everyday life. Surprisingly, his work in Ireland has remained virtually unknown until now.