Although few of us have been there, almost everyone is familiar with the iconic image of Mount Fuji in Japan: a majestic point rising up from the surrounding flat landscape, with its reflection in the lake at the foot of the mountain.
Visual artist Fiona Tan focused on the mythical significance of the mountain. Her film was put together from a compilation of more than 4000 found images of Mount Fuji, taken down through the years. They are accompanied by a soundtrack in which fiction and documentary intertwine.
The story, reverberating with echoes of the climb to the top of Mount Fuji, zig-zags between storytelling and history, moving from Japanese ukiyo-e woodprints to World War II, from Western imperialism to contemporary tourism, from the early years of photography through to today. Ascent is a contemplative visual essay that lets us reflect on our use of new digital images.
