“Tunnel for iPhone”, by engineering photographer Hoichi Nishiyama, is a photo book app based on his book “Tunnel” (published 2005 by Japan Construction Method and Machinery Research Institute for the Japan Construction Mechanization Association). It shows a mystery world that is normally not visible; of giant shield machines on the move, the serene light shining into the tunnel to the thriving drill machine.
Includes
30 unreleased works of photography within a total of 56.
detailed introduction by the photographer.
essay by Masahiro Nakata; chairman of the Committee of Tunnel Engineering for Japan Society of Civil Engineers.
soundtrack by dub-techno unit Mystica Tribe (slideshow).
Hoichi Nishiyama / photographer
Born 1952 in Tokyo. Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University’s design department in photography. After working at Hakuhodo and Tokyu agency, he turned freelance. After working in commercial photography, he moved on to become a civil engineering photographer in 1993. His photographs of past legacies in civil engineering and civil engineering construction are regularly printed in industry magazines. He also photographs calendars and completion photographs for major construction companies. He is the chief of the “photographing civil engineering” office.
He has published books of photography such as Harbor Legacy (Japan Dredging and Reclamation Engineering Association) and Taushubetsu (Kodansha) in 2002, Civil Engineering by the Water (INAX publishing) in 2003, SADO MINE (Niigata Daily Newspaper Company in 2011. He has held photography exhibitions every year since 1997. Taushubetsu was awarded the Publishing Culture Award 2003 by the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Staff:
Masahiro Nakata / commentator
Born 1952 in Yamaguchi prefecture. Finished Engineering Research in Hiroshima University and joined Japan Highway Public Corporation. As the group became privatized in 2005, he became the specialist representative (tunnel division) in the Main Office Environmental Engineering Department of Central Nippon Expressway Company Limited. After fulfilling the role as guest professor and member of the Judging Committee for academic theses at Yamaguchi University, committee member of the Institution of Professional Engineers, Japan and member of the Division 6 thesis Editing Committee at Japan Society of Civil Engineers, he is presently chair of the Tunnel Engineering Committee for the Japan Society of Civil Engineers. He is also Doctor (Engineering), Professional Engineer (in Comprehensive Technical Management and Construction disciplines) and Authorized Concrete Engineer.
Naoko Aono / editor
Graduated from Waseda University’s First department in Literature and Kuwasawa Design Laboratory in Visual Design. She worked as editor for the architectural design magazine FP published by Rokuyosha and presently works freelance. In 2006, she published “Walks in Art Space”, a collection of essays in Esquire Japan magazine and writes for magazines such as Casa Brutus on architecture, art and design.
Kenichi Eguchi / translator
A translator of overseas literature into Japanese, he also works in subtitles and magazine editing. Some of his books are Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die, Douglas Coupland’s Life After God , Microserfs and God Hates Japan. Film subtitles include About A Sun, Bukowski: Old Punk.
Mystica Tribe / composer
As a Tokyo based dub techno unit, Noda launched Mystica Tribe in 2010. His tracks are played internationally by DJs such as Gilles Peterson. In September 2011, he debuted with EP “Meditation Stick” from SD Records in Rotterdam. He currently performs live and remixes for various artists.