Japan’s extraordinary culture of printmaking is widely known: the global influence of ukiyo-e prints, the bold achievements of the sosaku hanga (creative prints) movement, the international success of Japanese printmakers after World War II.

The International Biennial Exhibition of Prints in Tokyo was launched in 1957, and in the context of the worldwide flourishing of printmaking, society as a whole came to recognize prints as a contemporary art medium. In the 1960s and 1970s, which have been called the golden age of contemporary printmaking, prints gained status as a full-fledged mode of expression and attained an unassailable position in Japanese culture. Since the 1980s Japanese printmaking has grown ever more original and sophisticated, maturing in such a way that Japan can truly be called a global leader in prints in a way no other country or region can. The 1st PATinKyoto Print Art Triennale in Kyoto was organized with the goals of showcasing the richness of printmaking in the present continuous tense, and of establishing critical perspectives for sufficient assessment of the works. It also demonstrated that the enterprising spirit of the art of printmaking is particularly pronounced among printmakers in Kyoto. And this project, situated in the ancient capital of Kyoto, has gained support from a wide range of companies and private citizens, and has gained high acclaim from the mass media and various other organizations.

Following the 1st and 2nd editions, we have organized the 3rd PATinKyoto Print Art Triennale 2022, aiming to introduce fresh innovation to the culture of Kyoto and transmit it to the world. We are preserving the selection format of the previous two editions: while most art competitions invite entries from the public, the Triennale is unique in that entries are recommended by commissioners who have a keen artistic sense and are well informed about printmaking. Also, we offer a spacious venue in which artists can exhibit a series of works or a large installation-style work. Moving forward, we intend to further develop this unprecedented endeavor at the newly renovated Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

Looking beyond the conventional framework of printmaking, a wide variety of contemporary prints including photographs, computer graphics, and even 3D works will be exhibited throughout the museum. The goal is to make a major impact on the general public, the art world, and the mass media with an event that symbolizes a progressive, forward-looking Kyoto.
Focusing on the ever-evolving diversity of prints, we will present a contemporary printmaking exhibition in a new framework so as to encourage the further maturation of the medium and transmit the results to the world. Our objective is to showcase the abundant variety of prints, as traditional Japanese culture and as a contemporary art form, and disseminate it from Kyoto, a city of art and culture, to the world.