Life that unfolds
The exhibition showcases four photographic series by artists from different generations: Rinko Kawauchi (1972) and Tokuko Ushioda (1940)
Tokuko Ushioda Exhibition Entrance at Japan House São Paulo (2024-11-19/2025-05-04) by Japan House São PauloJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
‘KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival’
In collaboration with the KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival—recognized as one of the most significant events of its kind since its inception in Kyoto in 2013—the exhibition captures family moments and the intimate spaces of their homes in Japan.
Art and artists
Among contemporary photographers, Kawauchi is recognized for her profound and personal reflections on her family.
Her style, which emphasizes the fragility and essential vitality hidden within the subjects she captures through her delicate sensitivity, earned international acclaim. In 2007, her work was showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo, Brazil.
“These are highly poetic ways of depicting everyday life, with a careful and deeply personal focus on minor details and moments—some common, others unusual, and even playful. What we hope is that the audience connects with this everyday life, developing a sense of intimacy with the lives of these two women, which reflect the ordinary life of a person in Japan and that may have so much in common with our lives here, on the other side of the world,” remarks JHSP Cultural Director Natasha B. G.
Projection of Outdoor Landscape in Tokuko Ushioda Exhibition (2024-11-19/2025-05-04) by Japan House São PauloJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
Series of everyday life photographs
Kawauchi’s “Cui Cui” series documents moments in her family’s life cycle over 13 years, including her brother’s marriage, her grandfather’s passing, and the birth of her nephew.
The photographer chose the title for the series after she learned the French expression used to describe the sparrow’s chirp—a song heard in various parts of the world. It serves as a perfect metaphor for the everyday sounds that permeate the life of Kawauchi’s family.
Child in Domestic Scene from My Husband Series (2024-11-19/2025-05-04) by Japan House São PauloJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
Meanwhile, in her “as it is” series,
Rinko records the first three years of her daughter’s life, complemented by a video projection.
Open Refrigerator Photograph from ICE BOX Series (2024-11-19/2025-05-04) by Japan House São PauloJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
In the series “ICE BOX”,
Ushioda captures the intimacy of families, both relatives and friends, over 22 years, using refrigerators as a constant point of reference.
This approach offers a unique perspective on domestic life and family connections during that period. In “My Husband”, Ushioda shares glimpses of everyday life with her husband and daughter, captured in a small Western-style apartment during the 1970s.
About Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi was born in 1972, in Shiga, Japan. She graduated in photography and graphic design from Seian Women’s College (now Seian University of Art and Design, in Saga) in 1993, and worked as a freelance photographer in advertising for years.
In 2002, she received the 27th Kimura Ihei Prize for her series Utatane and Hanabi. In 2023, she was awarded the Sony World Photography Prize for her exceptional contribution to the field.
Kawauchi’s work is regularly featured in exhibitions in Japan and globally, including at the Cartier Foundation, in Paris, and The Photographer’s Gallery, in London.
About Tokuko Ushioda
Tokuko Ushioda was born in 1940, in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from the Kuwasawa Design School in 1963, where she studied with photographers Yasuhiro Ishimoto and Kiyoji Otsuji.
Between 1966 and 1978 she taught at the Kuwasawa Design School and at Tokyo Zokei University.
In 2018, her series *Library* earned her the Domon Ken Prize, the Photographic Society of Japan’s “Lifetime Achievement” award, and the Higashikawa Award for “Domestic Photographer.” In 2019, she received the Kuwasawa Special Prize, and in 2022, was awarded the Special Jury Prize at Paris Photo – Aperture PhotoBook for her series My Husband.
Black-and-White Photographs from ICE BOX Series (2024-11-19/2025-05-04) by Japan House São PauloJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
About the KYOTOGRAPHIE Festival
KYOTOGRAPHIE is an international photography festival held annually in Kyoto during the spring.
Founded by Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi in 2013, the event takes place at various venues throughout the city, ranging from traditional historic buildings—such as temples, shrines, and tea houses—to spaces featuring contemporary architecture. Kyoto is the perfect city to host the festival, as it blends tradition and innovation.
The festival’s co-founders received the “2023 (74th) Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for the Promotion of the Arts,” which is awarded annually to individuals who have achieved remarkable accomplishments in their respective artistic fields, or whose achievements have opened new horizons in their respective fields.
Click play and learn more about the exhibition:
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