Kazuo Kitai – Agitators (2012)

The rebellious young Kitai had an idea to make a photo book inspired by french film of the early 1960s; to create a document combining the street demonstrations together with scenes of everyday life in the streets of the same city. He put everything into publishing that work, known as “Teiko” (Resistance). He intended to go on to publish a second book: “Kagekiha”(“Agitators”in English)but Teiko failed to sell, leaving him broke. In disappointment he returned Kobe and photographed the Kobe dockers. His work in “Teiko” had already drawn the attention of the student protest leaders, who asked him to return to Tokyo and photograph for them the ongoing student and worker riots. And so began a 6-year involvement and documentation of the 1960s from the front line.

Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. 2012. 295 x 295 mm. Around 60 pages. Very good condition. Texts in Japanese.