Announcement of the 2027 Villa Kujoyama residents

The final selection jury of Villa Kujoyama selected 14 projects led by 16 artists, who will be hosted in residence for a period of 4 to 6 months in Kyoto in 2027.

• Abdelkader BENCHAMMA, Visual arts: Shimenawa
• Alix BOILLOT, Visual arts: L’inestimable (la valeur des perles)
• Monica ESPINA & Marcel KOKEN, Theater (Arts & Sciences): Follow the fireflies : réverbérations-clignotements
• Thomas GARNIER & Hideyuki ISHIBASHI, Digital art: Genei
• Céleste GATIER, Music: “Ombre sonores” (oto no kage)
• Caroline LUNOIR, Literature: Kyoto, décembre 1997. Polyphonie d’espoirs
• Liza MAIGNAN, Curation: feel the waves, soothe your mind
• Yann MIRADA, Crafts: Tosei gusoku, ou l’hybridation par le mouvement
• Christian RIZZO, Dance: pour un après-geste.
• Margaux RUON, Crafts: Peintures roulées et matériaux souples : repenser la restauration des thangkas à la lumière des pratiques japonaises
• Tulip SANTENE, Gastronomy: Levain hybridé Fuku-Jin
• Momoko SETO, Cinema: La scandaleuse vie sexuelle des fleurs
• Rebeka WARRIOR, Literature: Toutes les voix
• Vasantha YOGANANTHAN, Photography: Un conte photographique consacré à la relation entre humains et animaux – réelle, symbolique et imaginaire – dans la région du Kansai

In addition, Villa Kujoyama and Institut français have selected two laureates of the Liliane Bettencourt Prize for the Intelligence of the Hand®, who will be invited for 1-month residency at Villa Kujoyama in 2026:

• Antoine LEPERLIER / Crafts – Glass
• Mylinh NGUYEN / Crafts– Metal

The projects will be posted soon on our website.

The 2026 call for applications was open to French artists and creators, as well as foreign artists and creators who have been residing in France for at least five years; or to Japanese artists residing in Japan applying as a duo with French or foreign artists/creators who have been living in France for at least five years. Applicants were required to propose an original and distinctive research project that needed an immersion and research stay in Japan.

This year, the call for applications was also open to scientists applying as a duo or pair with artists.

The pre-selection committee was composed of:

• The Deputy Director of Villa Kujoyama

• The Residencies Service and field experts from the Institut français

• Field experts from the French Ministry of Culture

• Field experts from the Institut français du Japon

• Qualified professionals based in France and Japan

The final Franco-Japanese jury, chaired by the Deputy Director of Villa Kujoyama, Adèle Fremolle, was composed of:

• Samson Sylvain, Cultural Attaché at the Institut français du Japon – representatives of the French Embassy in Japan

• Hannah Loué, Head of the Residencies Service, and Julie Ferrif, Project Officer at the Residencies Service– representatives of the Institut français

• Corinne Sentou, Project Manager for Economy and Prospecting and Nicolas Vergneau, in charge of residency programs and support for artistic creations – representatives of the Ministry of Culture

• Léa Poirier, in charge of Culture and Media – representative of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs

• Reiko Setsuda, Curator at the Hermès Foundation

• Aya Soejima, Independent Performing Arts Expert