Photoworkshop.com member Jerry Currier
has just announced the release of his new book People of Japan 1957-58. The second work in a planned
trilogy that features images shot during the photographer's stay in
Japan in the 1950s.
The first book, Children of Japan 1957-58, was announced in the November 2009 issue of Double Exposure. Judith Farber said about Children, “I always loved this work of yours, and this book is exceptional. It's equal to the work of Helen Levitt, Cartier-Bresson, Berenice Abbott,” Tanja Mamas stated, “The feeling that comes across in these images is so sweet. The timeless nature of human expression and body language is captured so beautifully.”
One reviewer commented on People of Japan 1957-58, “I just picked up your new book and it is truly fantastic!! I love the photos,…you've created another masterpiece! The photos are spectacular. You captured such great moments, a true skill, while preserving an important era of history!!”
Jerry was trained at the United States Air Force School of Photography in Denver, Colorado as a Still Photographer. In 1956 he was assigned to Yokota Air Base in Japan. He was only 19 years old and it was the first time he had ever traveled out of the U.S.
Jerry’s photographic “heroes” were the great photojournalists of Black Star, Life magazine and Magnum such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Margaret Bourke-White, Carl Mydans, Robert Capa and many others.
In writing about his photographic philosophy Jerry states, “Photography helps us recall the past in a wonderful way. We don’t have to imagine a face based on a written description or the imperfect hand of the painter. Rather we can view accurate images, smiles, frowns, tears, laughter, warts, scars, wrinkles, everything that makes real people what they are.”
Upon his arrival in Japan in December 1956, Jerry began searching for images to record with his cameras. Although enthralled by the beauty of Japan itself, he was particularly enchanted with the people who he found “…friendly and helpful to the ‘gaijin’ who spoke only fractured bits and pieces of Japanese and who, no doubt, often violated good manners out of ignorance.”
“The images in People of Japan 1957-58 have no captions for the very good reason that over 50 years have passed since the images were made,” Jerry says. “Any recollections I might have about the circumstances involving any particular image would, in all likelihood, be erroneous. I hope that the images will speak to the viewer/reader of this book without the necessity of words.”
You can purchase Jerry's books at his Blurb.com bookstore :
