Hello everyone. This is Monjya.
With the easy availability of high-performance digital cameras, the subsequent resurgence of film photography, the ability to take AI-enhanced photos on smartphones, and the fact that anyone can now share those photos on social media... I feel that the landscape surrounding photography has become very broad and rich. While there is this casual world of photography, there has also always been photography as an art form, pushing the boundaries of expression and capture. In such a world, there is really no other way to engage with it than to physically experience the prints and the works themselves.
"KYOTOGRAPHIE Kyoto International Photography Festival"
KYOTOGRAPHIE is an international photography exhibition that uses locations all over Kyoto as its venues. Although I had known about this event, which is in its 9th year, I never really had the chance to go see it. However, Suzuki-kun, who participated in SimWorks' Izu riding event "Ridin’ Birds Passhunting" held in 2017, is involved in the operation of KYOTOGRAPHIE and invited me. These kinds of connections are so important. I immediately hopped on a Shinkansen with my bike.
Exploring KYOTOGRAPHIE by Bicycle
After assembling my bike at the station and having a coffee, I first got a venue map at the main information center. Just having the destinations plotted on a map makes me start thinking about efficient routes—it’s an occupational hazard from my previous job.
I walked around the area near the information center, and for the Nijo Castle venue, I was guided by Suzuki-kun, who rides a pretty cool All-City bike.
The exhibition at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design (former Bank of Japan Kyoto Branch, designed by Kingo Tatsuno) was incredible. It included work full of spirit from world-renowned fashion photographer Erwin Olaf, pieces by ikebana artist Atsunobu Katagiri who continued to arrange flowers while living in Fukushima after the disaster, and works by Sierra Leone’s Ngadi Smart capturing African festivals and drag queens—all of them were incredibly impactful and wonderful.
While some works are clear and striking, others are obscure and hard to understand at first glance. I used to think those were "weak" works where the concept and output didn't align well, but I’ve recently come to understand that those "hard to understand" pieces are actually essential elements that form the richness of the world. A world of only highlights is hollow.
Explore the Edges of Reality
Standing in a dark exhibition space, lost in thought while feeling a bit confused, is a valuable experience that can only be gained by actually traveling, meeting people, entering buildings, touching history, appreciating art, and getting back on your bike. Although the event has already ended, next year (likely in the spring) will mark its 10th anniversary, so I highly recommend you try exploring it by bike.
KYOTOGRAPHIE
