Uchujin, aka Adrian Storey, a British photographer and filmmaker based in Tokyo, drolly explains his rather unusual business moniker: "I'd rather be an alien than an outsider." Although usually translated simply as "alien," "uchujin" has a universe of meaning in his storytelling world.
Storey's work in photography and video frequently chronicles people outside the norm. A recent documentary introduces the only ethnic Japanese Muslim imam (teacher) in Tokyo. "Other outsiders that interest me are the body modification people (tattoo, piercing and suspension, etc.), the gay and lesbian community and graffiti artists," he says.
His 2010 photo essay, "The Kibera Boxing Team," chronicles the dreams of aspiring athletes in Kibera, the Nairobi slum whose claim to fame is that it is the largest one in all of Africa. Despite the area's misfortunes, it is also home to a boxing club, and a few of Kibera's members have even won places on Kenya's Olympic team.
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