“In South Africa’s Long Walk to Freedom, art and music were never mere expression, they were instruments of Resistance, Memory, and Hope. Photography exposed the truths many sought to hide, giving faces and stories to injustice, while music carried courage across borders, uniting voices in defiance. These creative forces reminded the oppressed of their dignity and the world of its responsibility. Our nation’s Father, Former President Nelson Mandela, taught us that Freedom begins in the heart and is sustained by imagination and courage of the people. Art has the power to awaken both. Today, as we gather in reflection, we honour that legacy: that creativity can Challenge Injustice, Restore Humanity, and lights the path toward justice. May these images and sounds continue to awaken empathy and inspire courageous action”.

— Siyabulela Mandela (respected peace and human rights leader, scholar and diplomatic strategist)

In July 2025, KYOTOGRAPHIE’s co-founders Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi embarked on a research trip to South Africa. They met with artists and curators, and visited some of the country’s leading arts institutions, and left with a deep desire to share this vibrant and active photographic community with audiences in Japan.

On their travels, they also found that the history of Apartheid was still deeply felt across generations. The struggle against Apartheid stands as one of the most significant examples of collective resistance in recent history. Yet in Japan, awareness around this dark past of racial segregation remains limited. For the 2026 edition of KYOTOGRAPHIE, Reyboz and Nakanishi chose to dedicate a special programme of exhibitions and events to the region, to deepen understanding and generate dialogue.

At the centre of this focus are exhibitions by three generations of South Africa photographers: Ernest Cole’s landmark documentation of life under Apartheid, Pieter Hugo’s roaming commentary on life, death, and the rites in between, and Lebohang Kganye’s multi-disciplinary and deeply personal exploration of memory and inherited histories. KYOTOGRAPHIE also collaborates with Cape Town’s A4 Arts Foundation to present a selection of photobooks tracing South African photographic culture from the 1940s to the present.

To provide further context, the festival welcomes Siyabulela Mandela, great-grandson of Nelson Mandela to deliver a keynote speech and take part in a public symposium on 19 April. The talk event will be moderated by journalist Jillian Wolf, with exhibiting artists Lebohang Kganye and Pieter Hugo, curator Sean O'Toole, and musician Msaki speaking on the role of art and music. The festival also invites South African musicians Msaki x Tubatsi to perform at sister event KYOTOPHONIE.

At a time when the world feels on an EDGE, this focus invites audiences to engage with a country where the scars of institutionalised segregation still exist. By bringing together voices across generations and perspectives, the programme expands on KYOTOGRAPHIE’s ongoing mission to create space for critical reflection on history and the role of images during times of crisis.