Catastrophe by Anne Murayama

Catastrophe by Anne Murayama is a captivating photobook that captures the essence of street cats across Japan over the span of seven years, including the famed cat islands of Ainoshima, Sanagijima, and Tashirojima. The clever title not only incorporates “cat” but also highlights the unexpected joys and mischief cats bring. The gothic font and predominantly black page backgrounds create an oxymoron: tough-looking on the outside but soft on the inside, much like cats and their lovers. Dedicated to her late father and with thanks to her husband, this petite book is a tender homage to the cats that have touched her life.

About Anne Murayama

Anne Murayama completed two pre-medical degrees in Science before following her true love in the Arts. Formerly known as Erin Cross • Erin Nøir of the now-defunct Parallel Planets and Frame Zero, she was also the chief editor of Lomography’s international magazine and the curator-manager of Vetro.

As an image-based artist, Anne has created a diverse body of work with a diaristic approach: evoking an intimate, mysterious disposition that is distinctly hers. To her, black and white images illuminate an evocative kind of solitude, like a phantasm—stripped off of hues, but not devoid of spirit.

As an independent curator and publisher since 2013, Anne has organized more than 10 international group exhibitions and has produced more than 30 photo books and zines. Her works have been exhibited and featured in Australia, Cambodia, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, the UK, and the US. She is also an alumnus of the Invisible Photographer Asia and the Angkor Photo Workshops.

In 2023, after surviving a life-changing illness, Anne started ephemere. — a small gallery and press that aims to help photographers showcase their work in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her husband and their cat, Kiki.