Shomei Tomatsu: Chewing Gum and Chocolate

Shomei Tomatsu is one of the most important and representative photographers in post-war Japanese photography. From "Nagasaki 11:02" about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, to "Nippon," which focuses on the tension between traditional Japanese culture and increasing Westernization, Shomei Tomatsu constantly documented various phenomena in post-war Japanese society.

Starting in the late 1950s, Shomei Tomatsu dedicated himself as much as possible to photographing American military bases and the lives of American soldiers, depicting the immense impact of America's WWII victory and occupation of Japan. Uniformed conquerors carousing with Japanese women in the red-light district; children staring blankly and playing in dilapidated streets; new waves of protests emerging in response to the American military occupation...

Shomei Tomatsu initially named this series "Occupation," but later changed it to "Chewing Gum and Chocolate," ironically referring to American soldiers' addiction to sugary snacks, which, while satisfying a craving, ultimately lacked nutritional value. This echoed the question of whether the American military's presence in Japan could bring about the necessary positive space for the country.

Although this series produced many famous and representative works, it was never fully collected and published as a single volume. "Chewing Gum and Chocolate" is the complete collection of this series, co-published by German publisher KEHRER and American publisher Aperture. This book is the English edition published by Aperture.