The Kyotographie International Photography Festival began as an artistic reaction to the Great East Japan Earthquake, a devastating event with long-lasting reverberations. It’s no surprise, then, that the annual festival’s 10th anniversary edition continues its commitment to blending art and social consciousness.
Throughout the exhibitions on display at various locations around Kyoto, the continuing trauma of 3/11 acts as a backdrop to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine, revealing an artistic community ready to heal and to act through creative self-expression.
Co-directors and life partners Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi say the social impact of the festival is their first consideration when planning each year’s event.