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Artist in Residence Talk: Nadirah Zakariya x Kana Kuwasako
Start Date: 8/3/2024 - End Date: 10/3/2024 ::: Organized By JFKL
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Join us for a cultural exchange as two talented artists, Nadirah Zakariya from Malaysia and Kana Kuwasako from Japan, showcase their home countries under the JFKL Artist Exchange Programme.
These skilled artists met at the Yakushima Photo Festival in 2022 where they discovered they shared a passion for nature and photography. Their collaboration resulted in a unique project that allows them to visit each other’s countries and captures the essence of Hokkaido Island in Japan and Langkawi Island in Malaysia.
Kana will 1st host a sharing session on March 8th, 6:00 PM at the Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort in Langkawi. Whereas, Nadirah will be joined with Kana to share their experiences with the public on March 10th, 2:00 PM at temu house in Petaling Jaya.
Keep updated with us on social media and the JFKL website for more information on these events!
In conversation with Kana Kuwasako (Japan)
Living in Sapporo/Japan, Kana grew up in a metropolis amidst nature. Surrounded by mountains, further enhanced with the beauty of the flowers and trees through seasons, Kana’s inspiration as an artist is drawn from her surroundings where she primarily works with photography as a medium. She is known for her “Unnatural Nature” series, where she looks at nature in an abstract manner, as well as her “Arteria” series, which sees her embroidering onto photographs.
Do join us for a conversation with Kana, as she shares her ways of seeing and doing, and how being in the new environment of Langkawi further informs and inspires her work.
Date and time:
8 March 2024 (Friday), 6:00 PM
Venue:
Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort, Jalan Pantai Cenang Lot 1047, Pantai Cenang, Langkawi, 07000 Kedah, Malaysia
Admission:
Free admission. Walk-in registration.
Artist Exchange: From Langkawi to Sapporo
Join us for a cultural exchange as two talented artists, Nadirah Zakariya from Malaysia and Kana Kuwasako from Japan, experience each other’s home countries and produce art under the JFKL Artist Exchange Programme.
Organized by The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, Nadirah had the opportunity to spend some time in Sapporo, Japan during the winter season from 31st January to 7th February, where she experienced the annual Sapporo Snow Festival and explored the mountainous side of Hokkaido. Meanwhile, Kana recently stayed on the tropical island of Langkawi from 2nd March to 8th March. She was surrounded by picturesque paddy fields and jungle-clad hills during her stay.
With this artist exchange, Nadirah and Kana are looking to explore and capture each other’s home country, specifically Sapporo, Japan, and Langkawi, Malaysia, with a view to present each other’s home country to the other and for wider audiences. At the end of the Artist Exchange project, Nadirah and Kana will be sharing their experiences with the public via a sharing session hosted by temu house on 10th March, 2024, and subsequently, their photographs will be presented via Exposure+ Photo.
Date and time:
10 March 2024 (Sunday), 2:00 PM
Venue:
temu house, 49, Jalan 16/9e, Seksyen 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Admission:
Free admission. Walk-in registration.
Stay tuned for more updates!
About Nadirah Zakariya 
Born on 1984 and raised in Malaysia, Nadirah Zakariya draws inspiration for her works through her non-specific geographic upbringing, focusing on the emotional impact and how it shapes who she is. Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Nadirah received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.
Nadirah is an internationally published photographer with works in numerous publications such as Bloomberg News, The New York Times Magazine, NYLON, VICE, Dazed and Confused, Refinery29 and Vogue Italia. She is currently featured in Flora Photographica, a book published by Thames & Hudson in 2022.
Nadirah’s works have been exhibited in cities including New York, London, Paris, Milan, and Kuala Lumpur.
Website : www.bit.ly/nadirahz
Instagram : www.instagram.com/nadirahzakariya
About Kana KUWASAKO 
Kana Kuwasako, born in Sapporo, Japan in 1990, is a talented photographer currently residing in her hometown. Graduating from the Art course at Hokkaido University of Education in 2013, she developed a unique artistic style that has garnered recognition in the art world.
In 2019, Kana received the prestigious “Young Portfolio” prize at the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts, solidifying her position as a rising star in photography. The same year, she also won the Grand Prix of the portfolio review at Hokkaido Photo Festa 2019, further highlighting her exceptional talent.
Kana’s work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including “Unnatural Nature” at Terrace Keikaku in Sapporo in 2021 and “Seeing the Invisible” in Sapporo, Nagoya, and Tokyo in 2022. Her work has been showcased at prestigious fairs like Paris Photo Case Publishing from 2021 to 2023 and ART OSAKA in Osaka in 2022. Kana’s impact in the art world is evident through her inclusion in collections at the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts and EN HOTEL Hiroshima. Her publication “Unnatural Nature” by Case Publishing showcases her distinctive perspective on the natural world, highlighting her ability to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around her.
Website: kanakuwasako.com
Instagram: @kanakuwasako
Page last updated: 29 February 2024
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