待望の新作！カスピ海を囲む、５つの国を巡る旅。

前作『上海の流儀』で「日本写真協会新人賞」を受賞した百々新が、シルクロードの果てに広がる世界一の湖、カスピ海沿岸の町に降り立ち、風土と人の営みを「目撃」したシリーズ。1991年のソ連解体により沿岸共和国が独立してできた、ロシア、アゼルバイジャン、カザフスタン、トルクメニスタンにイランを加えた5つの国は、古来より人の往来が激しく、さまざまな人間の風土、宗教、習慣が、よじれ混じり対立し共存している。日本ではほとんど紹介されることのない周縁の町にピンポイントで飛来した百々の前に、時に不穏に広がる大地と、人の不可思議かつ普遍の営み。それは、外への出口となる川をもたず、何処にも行き場がないまま塩分濃度の違いから容易に混ざり合うことのないカスピ海の水を思わせる。

カスピの岸に立ち、見えない「対岸」を想う旅。本書は、重厚かつ清新なドキュメンタリーであると同時に、寄せたり引いたりしながら、この未来があるのかないのかわからない土地を見ることで、自らの進む岸を探す記録でもある。

"Taigan" is a fine example of existentially serious travel photography. It's a work made from a series of trips Dodo Arata took to towns around the Caspian sea in Turkmenistan, Kazahkstan, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia. "Taigan" means "opposite shore," and Dodo wanted to explore the idea that people in these towns are only faintly aware of what's happening on the other side of the Caspian. In a similar vein, he was searching within himself for clarity about his own future. His bold color snapshots strike a balance between documenting the social landscape of the countries he's passing through, as well as his own experience of traveling alone, more or less reliant on the kindness of others to make his way. Dodo isn't trying to cobble together a mythical "pan-Caspian" country through his photos; the book is clearly separated by country, and there's a warmly-written text for each one. These texts, together with the direct images of "Taigan," give the feeling of wandering along with Dodo.

Includes English translations of text by the photographer.