Kyoko Takemura is a Berlin-based conceptual artist working with photography, video and found objects. Her practice focuses on objects made for consumption, from food to religious products, examining how belief systems, values and social conditions are materialized and circulated through everyday objects. Through research-driven observation, Takemura re-examines everyday life by focusing on ordinary objects that quietly reflect the circumstances and human activities of contemporary consumer society.
Her work has been exhibited internationally at Museum Brot und Kunst (Germany), Somerset House (UK), MMoP Miyota Museum of Photography and Asama International Photo Festival (Japan), Gallery DE BOUWPUT (Netherlands), and Whitespace Gallery (Singapore). Takemura is the winner of the Japan Photo Award 2018, a recipient of the Sony World Photography Awards 2018, and was shortlisted for the Kassel Dummy Award 2020.
Her projects have been featured in publications including Libération, Die Tageszeitung, IMA Magazine, VICE and i-D. She received her BA with honours from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 2016.
For prints or inquiries: ︎
On Luxury beyond Death series
Takemura gives us a simple yet insightful look into a prominent ritual surrounding death in Vietnam. A compelling reflection upon modern day consumerism, Luxury Beyond Death highlights how relatives burn paper offerings at the graves of the deceased with the belief that they will need the same luxury items that they had when they were still living. The project highlights our obsession with consumerism whilst simultaneously raising questions about what awaits us in the afterlife.
Emilia van Lynden (Unseen Artistic Director)
Selected Exhibition
2025 "Verrückt nach Fleisch", Museum Brot und Kunst, Ulm, Germany
2025 "Belief It Or Not", Whitespace Gallery, Singapore
2025 "Zero 2.0 -Between realms", Gallery DE BOUWPUT, Amsterdam
2025 "RELEASE", Studios ID, Berlin, Germany
2024 "PHOTO MIYOTA Asama International Photo Festival 2024 "MMoP Miyota Museum of Photography. Miyota, Japan
2022 “60 x 60 – Food = Politics + Pleasure”, Museum Brot und Kunst, Ulm, Germany
2022 “Asama International Photo Festival 2022 PHOTO ALT”, Miyota, JP
2021 “Honey Rules the World”, Gallery Cube +, Kiel, DE
2019 “STYLED IN PHOTOGRAPHY”, IMA Gallery, Tokyo, JP
2019 “JAPAN PHOTO AWARD EXHIBITION”, KG+ Kyotography, JP
2019 “New Japan Photo 7”, CHI-KA, Dubai, UAE
2018 “Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition”, Somerset House, London, UK
2018 “LUXUS PhilosophyUnbound Berlin”, Berliner Ringtheater, Berlin, DE
2016 “GCD Show”, Hoxton Gallery, London, UK
2025 "Belief It Or Not", Whitespace Gallery, Singapore
2025 "Zero 2.0 -Between realms", Gallery DE BOUWPUT, Amsterdam
2025 "RELEASE", Studios ID, Berlin, Germany
2024 "PHOTO MIYOTA Asama International Photo Festival 2024 "MMoP Miyota Museum of Photography. Miyota, Japan
2022 “60 x 60 – Food = Politics + Pleasure”, Museum Brot und Kunst, Ulm, Germany
2022 “Asama International Photo Festival 2022 PHOTO ALT”, Miyota, JP
2021 “Honey Rules the World”, Gallery Cube +, Kiel, DE
2019 “STYLED IN PHOTOGRAPHY”, IMA Gallery, Tokyo, JP
2019 “JAPAN PHOTO AWARD EXHIBITION”, KG+ Kyotography, JP
2019 “New Japan Photo 7”, CHI-KA, Dubai, UAE
2018 “Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition”, Somerset House, London, UK
2018 “LUXUS PhilosophyUnbound Berlin”, Berliner Ringtheater, Berlin, DE
Award & Residency
2020 Kassel Dummy Award, Odd Recipes Shortlist, DE
2019 Artist in Residence Program, The Swatch Art Peace Hotel, CN
2018 JAPAN PHOTO AWARD, Winner, JP
(Selecting judge: Emilia Van Lynden)
2018 Sony World Photography Awards, Commended, UK
2018 FAPA Fine Art Photography Awards, Nominee
Education
2016 BA Hons Graphic Design&Communication, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
2012 French Literature in Faculty of Letters, Keio University, JP
Books
PHOTOPAPER vol.68 - featuring Odd Recipes
Canned, self-published
Odd Recipes, self-published
Published work
美術手帖, Exhibition report
2024
Society Magazine, Interview
2023
WePresent, Feature & Interview
IMA online, Feature
2022
Libération
Die Tageszeitung
GINZA
2016-2021
Libération France online
The Red Book by Universal Music Germany
i-D Magazine, Interview
VICE, Interview
IMA Magazine vol.35
iGNANT
Food& Magazine
foam Design Magazine
1 Granary, Interview
FUET Magazine, Interview
L’Œil de la Photographie
PERDIZ Magazine, Interview
KALTBLUT Magazine
Plain Magazine
I/O Gazette
Food To Meet You
Musée Magazine
KONBINI UK
Good2b
Club Sandwich
︎ You can buy my books here