In Japanese culture, people share a strong respect for all occupations and the workers who fill them. So much so that they even have a unique term to describe a hard worker – “Hatarakimono”. Tokyo-based French artist Frank Le Petit, who goes by the name K-Narf (Frank spelled backward), pays tribute to the people who made the Asian country one of the greatest in the world. He attempts to preserve the Japanese work ethic ideals in images before it vanishes in the modern world. Hatarakimono Project is an extraordinary tape-o-graphic documentary with portraits of workers in their actual uniforms on the streets of Tokyo, ranging from cooks to firemen.
The Hatarakimono Project began in 2016, and over the course of 14 months, the artist captured 102 everyday workers on the job. With the help of a custom-made traveling photo studio, K-Narf was able to organize 34 photo-shoots directly in the streets, right next to the models’ workplaces. Representatives of diverse jobs were asked to stop working for a few minutes and pose on a small stool in front of the portable background made of fabric.
More info: Instagram | knarfart.com | Facebook
#1 Pastry Shop Staff

#2 Jinrikisha Man

#3 A Pickles Master

#4 A Fireman

#5 Tokyo Tower Attendant

#6 An Udon Restaurant Owner Chef

#7 A Bus Guide

#8 A Cook

#9 A Tofu Wholesaler

#10 A Bartender

#11 A Train Station Conductor

#12 A Baker

#13 A Paramedic

#14 A Shoe Cobbler

#15 A Gardener

#16 A Cast Iron Maker

#17 A Soba Confectioner

#18 A Steeplejack

#19 A Postman

#20 An Airport Ground Handling Staff

#21 A Cabin Attendant

#22 A Guard Man

#23 A Market Security Guard

#24 A Train Driver

#25 An Information Desk Lady

#26 A Poultry Cutter

#27 A Petrol Station Staff

#28 A Gas Controler

#29 A Cement Wall Maker

#30 A Road Worker

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