shashasha

Keisuke Nagoshi's "SMOKEY MOUNTAIN" is the result of 10 years of photographing the life around an enormous garbage dump in Manila which is inhabited by thousands of people. Over his many trips to Smokey Mountain, Nagoshi became close to the people living there, and this human connection comes through strongly in his work. He's able to document the reality of this place without simply trying to shock the viewer. At times, Nagoshi's photographs approach an almost classical black and white snapshot aesthetic, while at other times he uses a simpler style to show an event, or someone's face. Life in Smokey Mountain is harsh, but Nagoshi is able to offer a carefully considered perspective on the way that people live and die in these conditions.

Includes English translations of texts by editor Fumihiro Hayashi and the photographer.