KAWAUCHI, Rinko

About the Japanese photographer, Rinko KAWAUCHI (b. 1972, in Shiga)

Rinko KAWAUCHI graduated graphic design and photography at Seian University in 1993. She first worked in commercial photography before embarking on a career as a fine art photographer. After experimenting with different cameras, she decided to stay with the Rolleiflex, which she still uses. Her art is rooted in Shinto, the ethnic religion of the people of Japan. The work by Rinko KAWAUCHI is characterized by a serene, poetic style, depicting the ordinary moments in life. She likes working in photo books because they allow the viewer to engage intimately with her images; so she has published until today two dozens of books. In 2002 she received Kimura Ihei Award, followed 2009 by the Infinity Award for Art from the ICP. In 2012 she got Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. Since 2018 Rinko KAWAUCHI lives at the countryside on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Photo books by Rinko KAWAUCHI

'Hanako' (2001); 'Hanabi' (花火, Fireworks, 2001, 2002); 'Utatane' (Siesta, 2001, 2020); 'Blue' (2003); 'Aila' (2005); 'The Eyes, the Ears' (2005); 'Cui Cui' (2005); 'Rinko Diary' (2006); 'Rinko Diary II' (2006); 'Majun' (2007); 'Semear' (2007.); 'Murmuration' (2010); 'One Day - 10 Photographers' (2010); 'Snowflake Twelfth' (2011); 'Illuminance' (2011); 'Light and Shadow' (2012, 2014); 'Approaching Whiteness' (2012); '.Illuminance, Ametsuchi, Seeing Shadows' (2012, 2013); 'Sheets' (2013); 'Kirakira' (2013); 'Gift' (2014, with Terri WEIFENBACH); 'The river embraced me' (2016); 'Halo' (2017); 'A New Day' (2018); 'When I Was Seven' (2019); 'As It Is' (2020); 'Des Oiseaux' (2021)