NOZOMI IIJIMA’S HANDMADE PHOTOBOOK “THE HIDDEN BLOOD” TRADE EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE.

Author and handmade photobook production by Nozomi Iijima
all signed and editioned 40X28 cm 80 pages
Art direction and editorial coordination by Yumi Goto
Translated by Mai Masunari
Proof reading by Eric Gunderson / Kazuhiko Matsumura
In collaboration with Reminders Photography Stronghold.
**IT IS TOTALLY MADE TO ORDER SO IT’LL TAKE APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS OR SO TO BE SHIPPED AND DELIVERY NORMALLY TAKES ABOUT ONE WEEK VIA REGISTERED AIR MAIL.

NOZOMI IIJIMA’S HANDMADE PHOTOBOOK “THE HIDDEN BLOOD” from REMINDERS PHOTOGRAPHY STRONGHOLD on Vimeo.

artist statement

In the areas surrounding my family’s livestock farm, people plant trees to keep out of sight and are very cautious of how they dispose of excreta.

One of our clients told us they wanted to place a photograph of a pig at a piggery in their shop. We turned them down saying “It’s not a beautiful thing to photograph, nor frame.
We would just like our customers to enjoy tasty pork without having to think of where it came from.
Hygiene control is very well organized in livestock farms. However, due to a lack of understanding, we try to keep people who aren’t familiar with livestock farms away.
This in turn means our livestock miss out on the recognition they deserve as animals.

I recall a time when I was a child that we didn’t organize surgery for a sick cow.
I was afraid the cow was enduring a pain in silence and waiting for death while I led an easy life in the same space.
My mind was occupied with what I should do if someone were to become aware of this situation. Would they blame my family? I felt relieved when the cow passed, but at the same time I recognized hiding their existence was cruel and selfish.