写真試論 No.3 Vol.2 1981 | Shashin Shiron | Ohno Kazuo | Shimao Toshio | Gekishobo

写真試論 No.3 Vol.2 — Shashin Shiron

写真試論編集委員会（発行）/ 劇書房（発売）. 1981年1月1日. ソフトカバー. 26×18cm. 64頁.

OVERVIEW

写真試論 (Shashin Shiron — “Essays on Photography”) was an independent critical journal published in Japan in the early 1980s, operating at the intersection of photography theory, literature, and performance. Edited and published by the Shashin Shiron Editorial Committee and distributed by Gekishobo, it occupied a rare position in Japanese publishing: a serious theoretical engagement with photography as a cultural and philosophical practice, not a commercial medium.

This third issue brings together an exceptional range of contributors whose work crosses disciplinary boundaries. Ohno Kazuo (大野一雄) — one of the founding figures of Butoh, the radical Japanese dance form that emerged from the post-war avant-garde — contributes alongside Shimao Toshio (島尾敏雄), one of postwar Japan’s most significant literary figures, and Ueno Koushi (上野昂志), a leading film and photography critic. The presence of Ohno Kazuo in a photography journal is itself remarkable — a document of the moment when Butoh, photography, and critical theory were in active dialogue in Japan.

Additional contributors include Ono Yoko (大野一雄), Adachi Fumito (安達史人), Hashimoto Ko (橋本功), Kamiyama Sadajiro (神山貞次郎), and Arakawa Kenichi (荒川健一).

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: EASY AI TRANSLATION

While the text is printed in Japanese, you can easily read and study this historic journal using modern smartphone AI tools. By taking a photo of any page with your smartphone and using free apps like Google Lens, ChatGPT, or Google Translate, the embedded AI will instantly scan and translate the text. Language is no longer a barrier to owning this rare piece of Japanese critical history.

WHY THIS VOLUME IS A PRIZED COLLECTOR'S ITEM

1. Ohno Kazuo Contribution — A founding figure of Butoh contributing to a photography theory journal. A rare document of the dialogue between avant-garde performance and photography in early 1980s Japan.

2. Shimao Toshio — One of postwar Japan’s most significant literary figures, engaging with photography as a critical subject.

3. Cross-Disciplinary Scope — Literature, Butoh, film criticism, and photography theory in a single 64-page journal. An unusually concentrated document of Japanese avant-garde culture circa 1981.

4. Independent Publication — Produced outside mainstream publishing channels. Surviving copies in collector circulation are scarce.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• Title: 写真試論 No.3 Vol.2 / Shashin Shiron No.3 Vol.2
• Editor / Publisher: 写真試論編集委員会 (Shashin Shiron Editorial Committee)
• Distributor: 劇書房 (Gekishobo)
• Year Published: 1981 (Showa 56) — January 1
• Format: Softcover, 26×18cm, 64pp
• Language: Japanese
• Key Contributors: Ohno Kazuo (大野一雄), Shimao Toshio (島尾敏雄), Ueno Koji (上野昂志), Hashimoto Ko (橋本功), Kamiyama Sadajiro (神山貞次郎), Arakawa Kenichi (荒川健一)

CONDITION

Good / Very Good

• Cover & Pages: Good. Light age-toning (yellowing) to cover and page edges consistent with a 44-year-old Japanese softcover publication. No tears, no writing.
• Binding: Tight and intact.
• Interior: Very Good. Text and any photographs fully legible throughout.

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