Black sun

Japanese photography abounds, yet we have few published monographs that chart the growth of art photography in that country. To help fill this gap, Aperture has just published an unusual anthology of work by four of Japan's leading photographers. The most familiar of the four, Eikoh Hosoe, has produced an essay that dramatizes the legend of Kamaitach--a demonic spirit that visits rice fields and slashes its victims to death. Shomei Tomatsu has been absorbed with documenting the effects of the nuclear bombings of Japan along with other newsworthy events. Masahisa Fukase has produced an epic series on crows as a symbol of evil. And Daido Moriyama presents us with his graphic interpretation of Japan's culture. Also included is Mark Haworth-Booth's essay on the Japanese photographic climate.