Akutagawa Prize of Photography: 48th Kimura Ihei Photography Award Won by Kim Insook | Asahi Shimbun Publishing
Cover image © Sayuki Inoue
Asahi Shimbun Publishing Co., Ltd. announced that the winner of the 48th Kimura Ihei Photography Award is Kim Insook. The announcement date is March 26, 2024.
This award targets new photographers who have presented outstanding works each year, with the winner selected from candidates recommended by photography professionals. The winner receives a certificate, a trophy, and a cash prize of 1 million yen. Kim Insook, a third-generation Korean resident in Japan, creates works exploring personal identity through connections with immigrants and local communities.
© Kim Insook | 'Between Breads and Noodles' Noodle Tower for Performance
The award-winning works include the 10-channel video installation 'Eye to Eye' and the installation 'Between Breads and Noodles', composed of photographs and 4-channel video. Details of the selection process will be featured on Asahi Shimbun Publishing's news site 'AERA dot.' and in 'AERA'. The exhibition of the award-winning works is scheduled to be held from April 26, 2024, to May 9, 2024, at the Sony Imaging Gallery Ginza in Tokyo.
What is the Kimura Ihei Award?
Established by Asahi Shimbun in 1975 to honor the contributions and achievements of Kimura Ihei (1901-1974), a photographer symbolizing Japan, both before and after World War II.
The award is open to both professionals and amateurs, regardless of age, for works published in magazines, photo books, or exhibitions from January to December each year. It is awarded to emerging photographers who have achieved remarkable results in the field of photography creation and presentation. The announcement of the winners and details of the selection process are published in the Asahi Camera magazine issued every March.
It is known as the 'Akutagawa Prize of Photography' for its role in launching many famous photographers into the spotlight.
Profile of the Winner
Kim Insook
Born in Osaka in 1978. Graduated from the Graduate School of Art at Hansung University in Korea in 2005, and currently expands her base of activities in Seoul and Tokyo. Her projects focus on everyday life, memory, history, cultural traditions, and personal identity within communities, often through communication with immigrants and local societies. These projects explore the theme of diverse 'selves'.
© Kim Insook | Profile Picture
Major solo exhibitions include 'sweet hours' (Gwangju Museum of Art, Korea, 2008), 'Retelling Tales of the Cherry Blossoms' (MIO PHOTO AWARD PRIME, Osaka, 2014), 'House to Home' (Tokyo Arts and Space Hongo, 2021), and group exhibitions such as Daegu Photo Biennale (Korea, 2014), 'Go-Betweens: The World Seen through Children' (Mori Art Museum, 2014), 'Family Report' (Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Korea, 2017), and 'On Love: Asian Contemporary' (Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, 2018). At the Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2023, she presented a new 10-channel video installation 'Eye to Eye'.
