max cameron's photo book explores his fixation with the ‘traffic cones of japan’

max cameron's photo book explores his fixation with the ‘traffic cones of japan’

‘Traffic Cones of Japan’: A photo book by Max Cameron

 

Max Cameron’s ‘Traffic Cones of Japan’ is a photographic exploration of his fixation with the use of traffic cones in Japan. Japan’s conscious and safe public spaces are filled with these humble cones, which inspired Cameron to appreciate their beauty and role in the country through his latest photo book. The cones, formally called pylons, have taken on a life of their own in Cameron’s eyes and through his lens, as he imagines how they have ended up in their many situations and environments.

 

‘Though there are many cones of different shapes and sizes, some created exclusively for different prefectures, this wasn’t an Ash Ketchum style journey of trying to catch ‘em all. I created a photo book of the cones that didn’t just make me stop, but made me feel,the photographer explains.

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the beginning of a chapter on how cones socialize

all images courtesy of Max Cameron

 

 

appreciating simplicity and assertiveness

 

The cone’s simple shape and versatility paired with an its assertive authority intrigued Max Cameron to show appreciation and compassion to the pointy plastic objects. Although the name ‘traffic cones’ implies that these objects are concerned with traffic safety, the photographer’s book explores cones with different ‘jobs’, how they ‘experience’ their leisure time, and how some don’t fit into a safety cone’s typical qualities, which in a way shows their diverse personalities. ‘Forget robots, manga or sushi, the humble traffic cone outdoes them all in its ubiquity across Japan,’ states Cameron. The book was designed by Gareth Rowntree and features text written in Japanese by Takuro Kobayashi.

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a spread of cones flowering

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torii gates and torii cones

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under the surveillance camera

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keep out

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careful, cherry blossom

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kone-oremebi, the light that falls upon the cones

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skating toys

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similar to a chess piece

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a ‘hippy’ cone within nature

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a ‘punk cone’ wrapped in striped tape

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project info:

 

name: Traffic Cones of Japan
designer: Max Cameron

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: zaha mango | designboom

 

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