忧心忡忡的美梦
Tokyo PhantomThis photo book was taken by a Chinese photographer during his first trip to Tokyo and nearby in 2019.
As Cui has been influenced deeply by Japanese culture since childhood, he carries the “perfect imagination” to Japan, but his illusions are soon shattered. Just like Yukio Mishima's "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion", the protagonist was also disillusioned with the beauty of the Golden Pavilion after seeing it. In the rainy spring, the photographer used low-sensitivity film, wandering the streets with the camera, constantly experiencing the "life" and "death" of the fantasies.
Just like the Japanese have Paris Syndrome (パリ症候群), the photographer shares the same feeling towards Japan in this book. This mood exists not only in this journey but also in countless moments in life when expectations are shattered. Just like “Tokyo Phantom” is full of great expectations, it is as fragile as bubbles.
In this book, the author uses the form of a music album to edit the photos into 7 chapters, each chapter is accompanied by a simple poem. The first chapter is like a prelude that leads the viewer into a melancholy atmosphere and then reveals the loneliness in the modern city. Suddenly, it turns to the relaxed and bright nature, followed by cloudy days. The flickering emotions are intertwined all the time and return to a feeling of sadness at the end of this book.
The reversal films have a light blue tone and is moist and melancholy. Each chapter has an insert printed on thin and translucent paper. The content are icons that influenced the photographer, including photography, games, music, animation and literature. As you read the entire picture album, there is a flow from sadness to brightness in terms of tone and mood.