Silver Haikus. Asia photographed by Michael Kenna

BILINGUAL FRENCH / ENGLISH

Since Michael Kenna first travelled to Japan in 1987, Asia has not ceased to influence his sensitive and singular gaze, through which he reveals the refined beauty of the continent's landscapes. His work is permeated with references to East Asian art, ranging from traditional ink painting to the well-known poetic form of the Japanese haiku. Through the evocative power of black-and-white photography, the celebration of the void, and the simplicity of form, Michael Kenna substitutes the ink of poems with the silver tones of his images, offering the viewer a truly contemplative experience. A theme-based retrospective of Michael Kenna's work in Asia, Silver Haikus brings out the extent of these Asian influences through a formal and aesthetic dialogue between a selection of his silver-print photographs created over the last forty years and works from the collections of the Guimet.

Exhibition at the musée Guimet from 11 June to 29 September 2025

Bilingual French / English
208 pages

Skira Edition