Tomasz Gudzowaty: Sumo

by Tomasz Gudzowaty (Photographer)

A poetical portrait of the world of professional sumo wrestling The Polish photographer and filmmaker Tomasz Gudzowaty (born 1971) is known for the strong sense of perfection in his work―clear compositions, precisely chosen image frames, carefully considered down to the last detail. In Sumo , a photographic tribute to the Japanese national sport, Gudzowaty confronts his subject with the rebellious aesthetic of are-bure-bokeh , which means “rough, blurred, out of focus.” This visual style developed in Japan in the 1960s as a countercurrent to the prevailing aesthetic norm of photojournalism. In this latest series, Gudzowaty photographs not only the wrestlers in the throes of combat, but also life within the training stables where these young men live, eat and sleep together. The result is an extension of Gudzowaty’s previous documentary work, and a stunning black-and-white portrait of a remarkable sport within a society strongly shaped by both tradition and modernity.

432 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[Jrn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but deeply philosophical: how we can learn from the values of the past and tradition, which remain steadfast, to face an increasingly uncertain future.