ㅤGANBATTE - jairo alvarez

Ganbatte (2024)

Is there time to take a forest bath when you work 12 hours a day? What role does fortune play in a destiny meticulously built with sweat? What battles take place in a concrete jungle and where does art fit in a schedule dominated by balance sheets?

Armies of men going to work corseted in their “white collars” traverse the streets of Tokyo daily. Although the figure of the salaryman emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, it was in the postwar period that it became one of the most visible symbols -and the embodiment- of the explosive economic growth that characterized the development of Japan. The modern samurai have developed a cult for their career, and through long work hours they have become the engine that the country needed to move forward.

Ganbatte delves into the juxtaposition and harmony between Japan's culture of relentless work and its deeper essence, which prays for fortune, urges spending time in nature, devoting time to artisanal activities and cultivating faith.