Shin Sekai Monogaturi (New World Story). Photographs by Kazuo Kitai. Choeisha, Osaka, 1981. Unpaged. Octavo (small size). First edition. SIGNED on front free-endpaper. Photo-illustrated boards with matching dust jacket and obi (belly band). Numerous full-page black-and-white reproductions.
In 1979 Kitai Kazuo started to document a downtown area of Osaka curiously called 'New World' (shinsekai) that was built during the 1920s and 30s. For over two years he strolled around the working-class neighborhood getting to know its merchants, shop-owners, artisans, children, pensioners and prostitutes. He speaks fondly of the bachelors taking their washing to a coin-laundry and going to a small theater to pass the 30 minutes it took for a washing-cycle to complete. Kitai observed the goings-on as if the whole were a stage full of wonderful characters. Open the curtain, take a look, and close the curtain. Kitai's outlook is nothing if not humane. On the obi the term 'shinsekai' is transcribed as 'wonderland', 'lost world', and 'third world'. No copy in OCLC.--Titus Boeder, The British Museum
Read about Kitai's new project in Russet Lederman's interview with John Gossage and Harper Levine in MONSTERS & MADONNAS, the ICP blog .
Fine- in Fine- dust jacket; just a trace of wear to 'tips'; light foxing to verso of dust jacket; light wear to belly band. |
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