Hiroshima Collection (1986-) ② Monochrome and Color
I was already photographing atomic bomb artifacts in both color and monochrome in 1982. In terms of publication, seven color photographs of artifacts were included at the beginning of the book "Have You Seen Hiroshima?" (NHK Publishing, 1982), which was published that same year. Despite the fact that this can be easily verified, the factual error that "there were only monochrome photographs of artifacts before 2000" continues to pass as truth. While I chose monochrome for the "Hiroshima Collection" as an artwork, it is a fact that I photographed and published in color in 1982, and this demonstrates that most articles and essays written about color/monochrome photography of Hiroshima's atomic bomb artifacts are incorrect. (Have you seen "Have You Seen Hiroshima?")
For the "Hiroshima Collection," I used both color and monochrome in 1982. I published the color versions in print, but chose monochrome for the artwork itself. This was a decision made after considering the publisher's editorial policy and the environment in which people received information about atomic bomb artifacts, given the media and social context of the 1980s, where monochrome was deemed appropriate. The primary goal was for people to receive the work without misunderstanding, but naturally, cost issues and the limitations of color expression in the technology of the time were also reasons. (At the time, there were also vague standards for the use of monochrome versus color in media and publishing environments.)
Especially since 2000, photography equipment and the printing and publishing environment have changed drastically; the evolution of digital technology and its integration into the details of daily life, the internet, PCs, smartphones, and video-based communication have changed significantly. Color photography has become the standard. Since 2000, I have shot almost exclusively digitally, and data for both monochrome and color exist simultaneously. In the modern digital age, color and monochrome are reversible and can be freely converted with a single click.