KYOTOGRAPHIE, held in the spring in the ancient city of Kyoto,is one of the few truly international artistic events taking place in Japan. While honoring its millennium of history and tradition, Kyoto is at the same time a leading light of culture on an international scale.
Valuable collections of photography and works by internationally renowned artists are exhibited in elegant, historic buildings as well as modern architectural spaces. Some shows feature the work of traditional artisans, while others highlight collaborations with the most modern technology. The exhibitions are presented outside the traditional galley format and work in harmony with the spaces in which they reside. Our goal is to present a multifaceted photography festival that cannot be found anywhere else but Kyoto.
The KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the theme ‘ONE’.
‘One is Ten’
This Buddhist saying expresses the idea that what is single, through internalizing the external, immediately becomes an embodiment of the whole, and positions itself with others only through this all-encompassing attitude. One represents the individual and Ten is the number of entirety, representing the whole.
In 2022, another war has begun. The attempts to justify war are inconceivable; war is never the solution. From humanity’s bitter experiences of the past, we know that lives should never be sacrificed in the name of any totalitarian cause that deceivingly purports to be representative of the whole.
In 2022, with the 10th edition, KYOTOGRAPHIE would like to celebrate each person’s unique existence and our collective diversity. We hope ‘ONE’ is an opportunity to restart, by reconnecting the disconnected and seeking a revival of a peaceful post-pandemic world.
Co-founders and Directors of KYOTOGRAPHIE
Lucille Reyboz &
Yusuke Nakanishi
Photographer. Born in 1973, Lucille Reyboz began her journey with photography in Africa, where she spent most of her childhood, and discovered Japan in 1999, invited by Ryuichi Sakamoto to collaborate on his opera “Life”. A portrait photographer, Lucille Reyboz also produced numerous record covers for labels such as Blue Note and Verve. While developing a prolific photography practice, she exhibited her work around the world, most notably in Visa pour l’image (2001), Phillips de Pury in New York (2007) and CHANEL NEXUS HALL, Tokyo (2011). She published several books, including Batammaba by Gallimard, Source, Belles de Bamako and Impressions du Japon with Keiichiro Hirano by Editions de la Martinière. Lucille Reyboz now lives and works in Kyoto, where she co-founded KYOTOGRAPHIE with Yusuke Nakanishi in 2013.
Lighting Director. Yusuke Nakanishi was born in 1968 and is a lighting artist who travels the world, and expresses his impressions of light and shadow from his memories. He has worked as a lighting director for feature films, stages, music concerts, fashion shows and interior designs. He also created the Eatable Lights object series, and has exhibited installations at the Hara Museum, the School Gallery Paris, and Nuit Blanche Kyoto.
The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami was a vivid reminder of the need for solid platforms for communication and cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world. Japanese camera and printing technology is legendary, but Japanese photographers still have a long way to go in terms of being recognized for their use of photography as a medium of expression. KYOTOGRAPHIE seeks to explore issues that affect us all through photography while showcasing the incredible talent in Japan and the rest of the world here in Kyoto, a city of both tradition and innovation.
In this effort we have benefited from the assistance of numerous corporations, organizations and individuals, as well as the city, prefectural and national governments. Without this support, KYOTOGRAPHIE would not be possible.
Young people, in particular, have the potential to serve as a link between Japan and the rest of the world. While every day of preparation has been a process of trial and error, each one has brought new encounters and opportunities.
We are confident this fusion of the new and the old will bring about new ways of thinking, and propel our festival to new heights.
－ KYOTOGRAPHIE aims to foster an appreciation of photography as a medium and art form.
－ We actively seek innovation in audience and artist engagement, and bring opportunities’ for professional development, collaboration and self-expression.
－ We strive to educate through our Public Program and exhibitions.
－ We inspire a greater appreciation and understanding of photography, with original scenography in traditional and contemporary architecture.
KG＋は、これから活躍が期待される写真家やキュレーターの発掘と支援を目的に、2013年よりスタートした公募型アートフェスティバルで、2021年に9回目を迎えます。京都から新たな才能を世界に送り出すことを目指し、意欲ある参加者を広く募集して展覧会を開催いたします。また、KYOTOGRAPHIE京都国際写真祭との連携・同時開催を通して、KG＋参加アーティストに、国内外のキュレーターやギャラリストとの出会いの場と情報発信の機会を提供します。元・京都市格致小学校を始め、市内各所で展開される多様な表現が地域と訪れる人々をつなげ、新たな発見や交流がうまれることを期待します。
KG＋の中で2019年から始まった新しいプログラム「KG＋SELECT」では、国際的に活躍する審査委員会によって応募のなかから選出された9組のアーティストを元・京都市格致小学校の各教室で紹介します。この中からKG＋AWARD2020グランプリが一組選ばれ、2022年のKYOTOGRAPHIEのオフィシャルプログラムのひとつとして展覧会が開催されます。