Finding Time: temporality and photomedia literacy as experienced during the Recovery and Reconstruction Games

Research Project

Project/Area Number	19K22994
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Review Section	0101:Philosophy, art, and related fields
Research Institution	University of Tsukuba
Principal Investigator	McLeod Gary・Roderick 筑波大学, 芸術系, 助教 (70850593)
Project Period (FY)	2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
Project Status	Granted (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000) Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Keywords	Temporality / Photomedia literacy / Rephotography / Tokyo 2020 / Post-tsunami / Reconstruction / Iwate Prefecture / Tokyo Olympic Games / Tokyo Paralympic Games
Outline of Research at the Start	A practical study investigating time and visual literacy in uses of photomedia during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games. Visiting locations in photos of regions worst affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, participatory rephotography and a range of photomedia are used to explore changes in affected towns before, during and after the games, and to reflect upon their public reception. Documentation and findings presented to international audiences as an exhibition, photobook and articles aim to promote global public and scholarly awareness of temporality and photomedia literacy.
Outline of Annual Research Achievements	Location research for PHASE ONE was completed in March 2020. During four trips, the principle investigator (PI) spent 19 days (18 nights) using a variety of photomedia to rephotograph sites in images of tsunami-affected coastal areas in Tohoku. A decision was made to concentrate on Iwate Prefecture as no Olympic sporting events are planned to be held there. Trip one was to Kamaishi and Ofunato (2 nights each). Trip two was to Kuji, Tanohata, and Miyako (2 nights each). Trip three was to Kamaishi (3 nights) and Rikuzentakata (2 nights) with a brief visit to Ofunato. Trip four was to Kamaishi (1 night) and Ofunato (2 nights) with a brief visit to Rikuzentakata. In total, 7627 digital photographs and 110 pieces of film were made using different formats. Detailed information about exposures were recorded by hand and digitally. Itineraries were shaped by current events (e.g. visiting Kamaishi when the Olympic torch was presented), by logistics (e.g. repairs to local trains following Typhoon Hagibis), and by equipment and topography (e.g. using a large-format camera in Miyako took more time than in Ofunato). A draft photobook was produced for each location after trips. Those eleven photobooks will guide participants during PHASE TWO and PHASE THREE of the study. Each photobook contains visual material (e.g. photographs, maps, receipts) that will facilitate participants’ rephotography. With regards to sharing the research, the PI gave a guest lecture on 14 March 2020 to online MA photography students at Falmouth University in the UK.
Current Status of Research Progress	Current Status of Research Progress 3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed. Reason Due to the COVID-19 situation and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games, the plan is under modification. As the research investigates temporality in photomedia, global society and perceptions of change, the postponement creates an additional opportunity to document research locations at an unprecedented time. The Olympic games have been cancelled three times in history but never postponed. Currently, the PI is monitoring the situation while preparing a publishable edition of the photobooks produced so far. The intention remains to document temporality in full and the current circumstances will be reflected. Recruitment of participants is currently on hold and will re-commence when plans to relax the nationwide state of emergency are announced.
Strategy for Future Research Activity	Depending on unfolding circumstances, PHASE TWO will comprise a six-day rephotography workshop held in two locations (e.g. Kamaishi and Ofunato) during the intended period of the games (between July and September 2020) where eight students (domestic and international) will receive photomedia instruction. PHASE THREE will comprise a second six-day rephotography workshop in the same two locations during the actual period of the games (between July and September 2021) where fifty-percent of the participants will also have attended the workshop in PHASE TWO. Where intended means of sharing findings are not possible due to circumstances (e.g. conference participation, international exhibition), online methods of engaging international audiences will be considered.