¥8,800
Holy Night by Suda Kazumasa
A collection of works by Japanese photographer, Suda Issei.
This book includes a series of photographs that Suda took in Tokyo on the night of Christmas Eve in 1991. Eight of the photographs were published in a magazine in 1993 under the title "Holy Night," but the 11 x 14 prints of this series were subsequently stored away, never to be seen by the light of day, and will now be made public in their entirety with this publication.
"How many Japanese people think of Jesus Christ on Christmas? First of all, on Christmas Eve, they buy a cake and go home, and lovers spend the most romantic time of the year together. This custom has become commonplace. If you suddenly try to pretend to be a Buddhist and say, "You idiot, I'm not a Christian," it'll just feel hollow. For the Japanese, Christmas is a day to confirm their faith in "love." For a nation that is inherently clumsy at expressing affection, this is a kind of suffering. Even the gestures used to present bouquets are far removed from those in Western Europe. Those who receive them bow their heads, making it awkward as soon as they meet. Perhaps it is on Christmas Eve that Japanese people look the most uncool. And with this awkwardness, people are sucked into the darkness between the buildings..." - Suda Issei (1991)
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Title: Holy Night
Artist: Issei Suda
Editorial direction: Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi
Chose Commune, 2022
Hardcover, case binding
280 x 283 mm
60 pages
Text in English, French and Japanese
First edition
ISBN: 979-10-96383-36-8
¥8,800 -
This book includes a series of photographs that Suda took in Tokyo on the night of Christmas Eve in 1991. Eight of the photographs were published in a magazine in 1993 under the title "Holy Night," but the 11 x 14 prints of this series were subsequently stored away, never to be seen by the light of day, and will now be made public in their entirety with this publication.
"How many Japanese people think of Jesus Christ on Christmas? First of all, on Christmas Eve, they buy a cake and go home, and lovers spend the most romantic time of the year together. This custom has become commonplace. If you suddenly try to pretend to be a Buddhist and say, "You idiot, I'm not a Christian," it'll just feel hollow. For the Japanese, Christmas is a day to confirm their faith in "love." For a nation that is inherently clumsy at expressing affection, this is a kind of suffering. Even the gestures used to present bouquets are far removed from those in Western Europe. Those who receive them bow their heads, making it awkward as soon as they meet. Perhaps it is on Christmas Eve that Japanese people look the most uncool. And with this awkwardness, people are sucked into the darkness between the buildings..." - Suda Issei (1991)
-
Title: Holy Night
Artist: Issei Suda
Editorial direction: Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi
Chose Commune, 2022
Hardcover, case binding
280 x 283 mm
60 pages
Text in English, French and Japanese
First edition
ISBN: 979-10-96383-36-8
¥8,800 -