Summer 2019
🏡 Onomichi, volunteer

April 2021
🏡  École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie, Arles 

Onomichi monogatari

As a continuation of the Kyoto Survey project, following a study exchange in Kyoto (2016–2017), we turned our attention to the issue of Japan’s post-industrial transition—particularly the relocation and abandonment of certain territories (rural or peripheral), population aging, and risks linked to natural and/or human-made disasters. Conversely, part of the population aspires to a change in lifestyle and to a re-evaluation of modern values. This movement, which shares affinities with degrowth, materializes in attempts at revitalization.

We chose the city of Onomichi as a field of study in order to empirically experiment with and document this revitalization movement, which is particularly active there. During three months in 2019, we participated in the activities of the association Onomichi Akiya Saisei, contributing to the renovation of akiya (vacant houses) to transform them into places of life and creation.

Onomichi Monogatari consists of a photographic exploration of the city, evoking the demographic, social, and economic dynamics at play, along with a video that presents—through compositing—different perspectives on the city, assembled from found materials (video games, commercials, YouTube tours, etc.).

An exhibition by Disconoma (Fanny Terno & Thomas Vauthier)