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Gunkanjima and Yuji Saiga: Photographs of “An island living in death”

Starts 4/23

Artists

Yuji Saiga

Hashima Island (端島), located off the coast of Nomozaki in Nagasaki City, is known as Gunkanjima (軍艦島) due to its unique shape, which resembles a battleship. The island was landfilled for coal mining since the Meiji era, and a large number of coal miners and their families settled there. During the 1960s, at the height of the island’s population, high-rise apartments made of reinforced concrete were lined the island, and the island had schools, hospitals, markets, movie theaters, and various amusements. Islanders led bustling lives in this vibrant community.

In this exhibition, we present photographs of Gunkanjima taken by Yuji Saiga (雑賀雄二, 1951-), featuring four of his representative series: “1974 Gunkanjima,” “Gunkanjima – The view of an abandoned island,” “Tsuki no Michi – Borderland,” and “GROUND.” Saiga began his career as a photographer during his university years and often visited remote islands in Nagasaki to take photos inspired by Christian themes. One day, he learned of the closure of the Gunkanjima mine, a place that had intrigued him since childhood when he first encountered it in an encyclopedia given to him by his father. In January 1974, Saiga visited Gunkanjima for the first time and stayed for three months, remaining until all the islanders had left. Afterward, he continued to visit the island, capturing photographs that focused not only on the abandoned apartments and household items left behind but also on the moonlit cliffs and the grounds. Saiga paid close attention to the life and death of Gunkanjima, and the space between them.

In recent years, the island has gained more popularity after being designated a World Heritage site. This exhibition showcases Saiga’s works, reflecting his description of the island as “An island living in death.”

Schedule

Apr 23 (Wed) 2025-Jun 15 (Sun) 2025