Why is it that a fish market can be so much more acceptable than a slaughterhouse, to the extent that it begins to attain a certain level of macabre beauty? Blood, business, passion, and stale stench of ice fill the air as old men who eat, live, and breath nothing but the life aquatic take to their podiums and with their shouts hold the attention of the room, with intent buyers scrutinizing every syllable, hoping to gain some sort of edge over their competitors.
It’s a world where perfection reigns supreme and the laws of supply and demand are broken on a regular basis. The Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo holds the reputation as being the best fish market in Japan and thereby, the world (or so I’m told). It’s where Japan’s sushi masters go to shop, scrutinizing every carcass to ensure that it meets their standards. Thomas Cristofoletti has a fantastic set covering both the Tsukiji Market and greater Japan. While he says on his website that he’s based out of Madrid, Cristofoletti’s work mostly covers his global travels. From Peru to Los Angeles to Dublin, his sets are brilliant catalogues of a world that would otherwise go unseen. See more from Thomas here.
