Power from the People — Tokyo, 2011

My photographic series Power from the People was featured in OPEN MANIFESTO. The work was photographed in Tokyo during the summer of 2011, a few months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The images reflect how everyday life continued under new conditions shaped by uncertainty and restraint.

OPEN MANIFESTO focuses on the relationship between graphic design and society, politics, culture, and media. Each issue is built around a specific theme and looks at how visual culture both responds to and shapes social realities. The magazine was founded in 2003 by Australian graphic designer Kevin Finn and remains a platform for critical observation rather than promotion.

After Fukushima

Following the disaster, the Japanese government and TEPCO called for nationwide energy conservation. Citizens were asked to reduce electricity use across homes, offices, and public space. This request changed the appearance and rhythm of the city almost immediately.

I photographed Tokyo during this period without an agenda or fixed narrative. Instead, I observed how these measures entered daily life—often quietly and without spectacle.

Everyday responses

The images show reduced lighting, darker streets, and altered interiors. Shops, offices, and public buildings adjusted their use of electricity, and people adapted their routines accordingly. These were small actions, but taken together they reshaped the atmosphere of the city.

Rather than focusing on dramatic gestures, I concentrated on ordinary moments. The work reflects how collective action often appears through subtle changes rather than visible statements.

Complexity beneath the surface

While the photographs suggest cooperation and shared effort, they also point to tension and contradiction. Collective responsibility does not erase individual experience. Behind each image are personal adjustments, discomfort, and unequal impact.

The series does not aim to confirm simple narratives of unity. Instead, it asks viewers to look closer and consider what collective action actually means in practice.

An open reflection

Power from the People does not offer conclusions. Shown within the context of OPEN MANIFESTO, the work becomes part of a broader discussion about society, systems, and visual observation. Through photography, I try to record moments where social behavior becomes visible—not as symbols, but as lived reality.