Hans Silvester - Photos of Japan
It was a 'commission' from a famous retail brand that took Hans Silvester to the Land of the Rising Sun in 1968. He stayed for 6 months, travelling the length and breadth of the country, and armed with patience and perseverance, his curiosity enabled him to get as close as possible to Japanese culture and its ancestral rites. These images reflect both the modernism and traditions of Japan. We discover the landscapes of the south, with a chiselled tree set against the backdrop of the East China Sea, a Zen monk contemplating his garden, a rooster with its infinite plumage, or a totally unadorned pastry shop window... Hans remains fascinated by this country where, despite the advance of an all-consuming civilisation, some of its heritage and traditions have been preserved. It's as if his soul as a photographer, always able to preserve through images an era that is slipping away with the passage of time, can be found in these shared values.
