DODO, Shunji - Horizon Far and Away. 1968-1977 (遙かなる地平)

"The book, 'Horizon Far and Away. 1968-1977', brings together Shunji DODO's work over a 10-year period at the beginning of his career. The genesis of the book began when Dodo happened upon an old print of his from those years while he was working on his current project:

'In 2010, I started photographing with my 8×10 camera for Nihon Kai (engl.: The Sea of Japan).
While I was processing ad drying my photographs, I happened upon a vintage print of mine from when I was a college student.

The coarse-grained photograph reflected back the young photographer I was back then, furiously photographing anything and everything with unresolved anger at the chaotic times in Japan, Obviously, my methods back then were different from what they've become, After looking back on these memories, I couldn't help wanting to see more of my old photographs. It was an urge I could not resist.

First, I looked for the prints I made between 1968 and 1977. There were almost no prints left from the ones I shot in Busan (S. Korea), Omuta (Fukuoka, Japan). and Okinawa (Japan). I made contact prints from all the negatives I could find and started printing them again.
What joy to re-encounter myself and my thoughts from 45 years ago. Everything came back so clearly.

Back then I photographed everything I saw without any rule or order, as if I wanted to own it all. My photographic skills and techniques were immature but I was trying to compensate with passion and the energy to take action.

I could see that I believed my sensibilities and inspirations more important than any logic. And so through the photographs, I was able to rediscover the various emotions and feelings I was holding when I took the pictures. Sometimes I seemed sentimental, and sometimes I seemed surprised to encounter a new thing. I adored my young self, to see him being so astonished by what he was photographing and so completely lost in his work.

These countless emotions had been rooted in my mind for the past 45 years, and I wanted to air them out: to let those inexpressible feelings out under the sun.

Back then, when I was young, I never really wanted to have a photo exhibition or publish my own photo book. But when I first encountered the photographs of KURONUMA Koichi, I suddenly wanted him to recognize my work someday. And so I continued shooting and printing more and more photographs.

But now, as I print all these photographs for this book in the darkroom, I realize that I have yet to archive that I was searching for and bring my emotions to fruition.

I have stuck to photography because I want to leave something behind in this world.

What I experienced in the decade between 1968 and 1978 is what enables me to continue pursuing my own photography to this day." (© Shunji DODO)

About the photographer, Shunji DODO (b. 1947 in Osake):
Through his teaching at Osaka Visual Arts college, first as a teacher and later as principal, DODO has been an influence on many young photographers, including his two sons ARATA and Takeshi.
But he is also an accomplished photographer in his own right, with several prize-winning collections of large-format work, including his 2010 Osaka.