The Lycée Champollion inaugurates a series of international workshops focusing on the various themes and techniques associated with the photography of Michael Kenna (1953-...), a British photographer exhibited worldwide.
This first workshop aims to shed light on one of the major sources of inspiration for his work : the representation of Japan. Indeed, Michael Kenna has devoted numerous exhibitions and monographs to depictions of Japan, as evidenced by his series devoted to the island of Hokkaido. His black-and-white photographs, with their play on hollow and saturated spaces, are reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy, and show how the country’s topography and artistic traditions have inspired his creativity.
Michael Kenna’s first visit to Japan happened in 1987. Captivated by both the landscape and Japanese philosophy, he has travelled the Japanese archipelago on numerous journeys for more than 30 years. Over the years, he has transcribed the very simplicity of nature into a series of chromatic works, in which the beauty of the landscape shines through in all its purity. From Hokkaido to Honshu, from rock formations to Buddha statues and the Japanese countryside, the photographic series Forms of Japan (2022) and Japan. A Love Story (2024) highlight the pure forms of Japan.
We invite you to follow Michael Kenna as he explores the many facets of Japan and trace its representation in arts and literature.
The main themes covered :
1) Japan in Michael Kenna’s work
2) Japan in art history
3) Japan in contemporary arts
4) Japonism
5) Japanese landscapes and gardens
6) Representations of Japanese traditions and spiritualities
7) Reappropriation of Japanese prints and calligraphy
8) Japan in literary creation
9) Artistic or linguistic translation of haikus
10) Japan in arts and literature : the reality or myth of an archipelago ?
IMPORTANT INFORMATION :
- Papers may be published ;
- Proposals should consist of a single file headed by the name of the lecturer : they should include a short biography (maximum one page) and the paper proposal (maximum 3,000 characters including spaces).
- They may be written in French or English.
- Deadline for submission to the address jejaponphotobrit gmail.com : June 1, 2025.