Several elementary schools in the mountainous areas of the San-in region are scheduled for consolidation shortly after their 150th anniversary. The number of students, which were once more than 100, has drastically reduced to only a few students per grade. The town's population has decreased by half since Japan's rapid economic growth period, as young people have been moving to the cities. This photograph is combined with an archival image provided by Hiromu Saeki.
Series Name: The Strata of Time
Series Description: This project invites viewers to consider what it means for a country to grow, and the advantages and disadvantages linked to that growth, by overlaying archival photographs from the 1940s-60s within current scenes of the same location. Early in Japan’s period of rapid economic growth from 1945 to 1973, the trade-off for affluence was pollution in many parts of the country. As an island, its land and resource constraints also led to an uneven population distribution. The issues found in contemporary society are often the result of past activities, and there is a need to look at them closely. Fortunately, the photographer notes that ‘the Japanese are known for their love of photography, and many citizens have captured images of their country over time’. This documentation can help others look at growth and think about how to prevent problems from reoccurring.
Prestiżowy tytuł Fotografa Roku 2025 przyznano znanemu brytyjskiemu fotografowi Zedowi Nelsonowi za cykl The Anthropocene Illusion (Złudzenie antropocenu). Zwycięzca otrzymał nagrodę pieniężną w wysokości 25 000 dolarów, cyfrowy sprzęt fotograficzny firmy Sony oraz możliwość zaprezentowania dodatkowych prac na wystawie Sony World Photography Awards 2026.
