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Background information, statement by the photographer, Anton KUSTERS
"The self published photographic volume 'YAKUZA' by Anton KUSTERS is a personal visual account of the life inside an inaccessible subculture: a traditional Japanese crime family that controls the streets of Kabukicho, in the heart of Tokyo, Japan. Through 10 months of negotiations with the Shinseikai, my brother Malik and I became one of the only westerners ever to be granted this kind of access to the closed world of Japanese organised crime. I share their complex relationship to Japanese society, and show the personal struggle of being forced to live in two different worlds at the same time; worlds that often have conflicting morals and values. It turns out not to be a simple 'black' versus 'white' relationship, but most definitely one with many shades of grey.
Additional information
Journal - Preparations for YAKUZA started in 2008, and access to photograph was granted in april 2009, for two years.Work - The YAKUZA project led to the publication of the photography book 'ODO YAKUZA TOKYO', an installation exhibit that traveled the world for two years, original edition prints, posters, and a magazine.
Appearances - Thanks to the ongoing support and mentorship of dear friend David Alan Harvey and the initial publication in burnmagazine.org, I've been fortunate enough to experience that YAKUZA gained quite some interest in the press, media and photo festivals, with over 50 publications, both in print and online, magazine, newspaper and television, podcast and radio.
A list of publications & appearances, which include Leica M Magazine, BBC Radio 4, The Sunday Times, l' Espresso, GEO Epoche, El Pais, Dagens Næringsliv, Blurb, The Japan Times, Chasseur D’Images, Rencontres d’Arles, De Standaard, VRT" (...) "Many of you who missed out on buying the first or second edition, have emailed me throughout the years (yes, it's been *that* long) to please let them know if I'd ever have a chance of printing a third edition... and I've always promised that I'd try hard to make it happen... and here we are. Finally.
The design is ready, and the book is scheduled to go in print in two weeks. And I'll be able to ship books starting May 1st. Of course, I'll keep you informed with a printing update along the way... so you won't miss a thing.
I'm happy to finally make this book available to a wider audience, and at the same time maintaining respect for all of you who bought the first and second editions (frankly, without you all, I simply wouldn't even be here...).
Super exciting....
I've made some minor changes to this third edition:
- The cover now has a super stylish black background
- I've added my orig. exhibition texts so there is a little more context to the story
- Three images of the previous editions didn't make it
- I'm printing on a lighter, whiter paper." (© Anton KUSTERS)
About Belgian photographer, Anton KUSTERS (b.1974)
Photo books by Anton KUSTERS
- Format
- 3rd print run! Pb. (no dust jacket, as issued), 22,5 x 28 x 3 cm., 232 pp., 84 color ills., 12 reproductions of GINRYU calligraphies, text language: English