BABEL ORDINARY LANDSCAPES Taishi Hirokawa

What are the essential things we must pass on to the future?" — This book is the culmination of a lifelong project by photographer Taishi Hirokawa, who made his name in the commercial photography world during the designer boom of the late 20th century, and who has long questioned human existence in relation to the Earth.

Composed mainly of works shot since 2000, this volume carries a sharp critical edge. It confronts scenes of environmental destruction caused by earthquakes, nuclear power, urban development, and infrastructure, as well as nature's attempt to reclaim its space (natural disasters). Artificial structures, though possessing overwhelming beauty, are viewed as abrupt and rootless presences.

These photographs, which are largely devoid of human figures, are meticulously rendered with an 8x10 film camera. The inorganic, solid images condense the crucial issue of the relationship between humanity and the environment.

The book contains the photographer's powerful message urging us to observe the present and contemplate the future. It includes an essay contribution by Keiichiro Hirano titled "A Place for Humanity.