KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018 - UP And Away At Kyoto’s Greatest Photography Festival

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Kyoto will be hosting the 6th edition of the KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival from April 14th through May 13th, 2018. If you're in Kyoto at this time of the year, check out the amazing exhibitions and events of this exciting art festival!

Written by

Rachel Davies

Rachel is a food, drink and travel writer. Originally from England, she relocated to Japan in 2015 and is now finding her feet in Kyoto. Rachel loves to explore new places throughout Japan and is happiest sharing her tips and tricks for traveling this beautiful country along the way. You can also find her instagramming, tweeting and facebooking her experiences @GirljininJapan!

Up and Away at Kyoto’s Renowned International Photography Festival

K-NARF, TAPE-O-GRAPHS from THE HATARAKIMONO PROJECT 2017 © K-NARF 2017

This month sees the start of the 6th edition of the KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival - held from April 14th through May 13th, 2018.

This year, the theme for the 15-exhibition strong festival is “UP”. All works will be shown in specially-selected prestigious Kyoto venues with original scenography, in a style that is unique to Kyoto.

A Truly International Festival Dedicated to Photography

Ryūichi Sakamoto, Kenzo x H & M, cut-up transparency, Paris, 2016 © Jean-Paul Goude

Kyoto city is in an enviable position - stunningly traditional in architecture, culture and everyday interactions whilst also being at the forefront of the country’s pioneering art and aesthetic movement.

Its more than one thousand years of history as an imperial capital ensures that the city’s heritage permeates every aspect of modern life, giving Kyoto a unique aura that is tough to replicate.

Although not as vast as Tokyo, Kyoto's creative renaissance has attracted everything from the staging of a couture fashion show last year and the opening of countless trendy coffee shops in the city, to KYOTOGRAPHIE, Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi’s celebrated international photography festival.

This year, the festival hosts 15 exhibitions by photography artists from Japan and other countries in various locations around the city.

Must-See Venues Showcasing Incredible Artists

Fukase Masahisa, "A GAME" 1983 © Masahisa Fukase Archives, courtesy of Michael Hoppen Gallery in London

Taking place annually over four weeks during the height of the spring tourist season in Kyoto, the KYOTOGRAPHIE exhibitions are spread across the city, staged creatively in various traditional and contemporary settings, from Kenninji - a temple that is not usually open to the public, to a 280-year old warehouse situated on the grounds of a kimono and obi artisan or an industrial style space in Kyoto’s central food market.

Hiding in the vineyards with the Ruinart Cellar Master, Liu Bolin for Ruinart, 2017 ©︎ Liu Bolin

The theme - ‘UP’ - is an invitation to visitors to think about the issues we face, both personally and as a global community, in today’s world. The festival, as well as showing a carefully-curated body of beautiful imagery, uses photography as a medium to stimulate conversation by encouraging people to recognize those issues that affect the marginalized in society and to change our world through awareness, action, and creation.

Join the Excitement at Curated Workshops and Masterclasses

In addition to showcasing the 15 headlining artists, KYOTOGRAPHIE is also working with a number of satellite events and is offering the public a chance to join in with workshops, talks and masterclasses.

One of these workshops is a children’s ikebana class at the beautiful Kinse Ryokan, inspired by one of the exhibitions featuring the work of ikebana master Yukio Nakagawa. Mr. Nakagawa is known for his avant-garde works that surpassed the general ideals of traditional ikebana, photographing his creations so as to keep account of his exploration of floral arrangements.

For those amongst us who are often inspired to pick up a camera in the hope of capturing everyday items in a creative way, Gideon Mendel, whose work for KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018 explores the human dimension of climate change, is running a ‘memory and materiality’ masterclass in which participants are taught how to photograph personal items to convey meaning.

Another highlight of this year’s festival is the young Japanese photographer Izumi Miyazaki. Her bright and fantastical photographs and selfies have been snapped up by French and American Magazines for their humorous and dramatic scenes, in which she blurs the lines between landscapes and familiar objects with images of herself.

Be Part of KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

The festival has already been receiving some great press and reviews around the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to join their varied and exciting programme. Passport entry for all exhibitions (not including satellite events) for the duration of the festival is 4,000 yen. A one-day passport is 3,000 yen. Individual exhibition admission costs vary. Visit the official KYOTOGRAPHIE website for more information and to see the full line up.