Masahiro Usami

Originally just a hobby, Usami’s photographic series became more socially engaged after the 2011 disaster. Each image, inspired by Buddhist mandala paintings, features a central figure surrounded by the people and things relating to their world. Taken in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, this image portrays Hayashi Yuriko – Chairperson of the Kyochiku-kai Association of Survivors – occupying the intermediary space between past and present. The right side of the image depicts Hiroshima at the time of the bomb, while on the left, babies, natural elements, and members of Hayashi’s family represent the future and the city’s revival. Usami attempts to communicate the strength of the human spirit by conveying the experiences of the previous generations for the next to come. The accompanying documentary gives voice to the project and to some of the 500 volunteers who participated in its making.

Masahiro Usami was born in 1972 in Chiba, Japan. He lives and works in Tokyo. His ‘Mandala’ photographic series has been exhibited at PAFOS2017 (Cyprus), Daegu Photo Biennale (Korea), and the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum (Japan).