W. Eugene Smith: Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath (Japan 1971)
American photojournalist Eugene Smith aimed to capture the tragic deaths and deformities caused by mercury poisoning in Japan. Smith’s work is portraying the neglect of the government that failed to aid those affected while also addressing the severity of the issue by photographing those suffering from the disease. The image captures a woman caringly holding another woman that has been affected by Minamata disease. The individual affected by the disease exhibits visible deformities throughout their entire body. Likewise, the dramatic dim lighting of the photo paired with the framing makes the two the clear subjects of the image. The photograph is tragically touching because the woman bathing the sick individual exhibits a kind aura with her gentle smile.