Hariban Award - International Collotype Competition 2023

A two-week residency in Kyoto is awarded by this prize combining a 170-year-old analogue technique with contemporary photography.

Overview

Presented by Benrido, the Hariban Award combines a 170-year-old analogue technique with contemporary photography. Glass plates have been used as the base for collotype printing plates which still continues today. The award is called “Hariban” as “Hari” means glass plate, and “ban” means printing plate in Japanese. This Award invites professionals and amateurs alike to submit black and white photographs for a chance to win.

Practical Info

Submissions are judged by an international group of Jurors, and the Grand Prize Winner receives a two-week residency in Kyoto, Japan, to collaborate with the master printers of Benrido producing eight collotype prints of the award-winning works. Flights, accommodation, and production expenses will be provided, and the collotype prints will be exhibited in a solo exhibition.

About Collotype

Established in 1887, Benrido has specialised in the unique printing technique known as Collotype and today remains one of only a few studios left in the world capable of making fine colour collotype prints. Collotype is an alternative printing process that was invented in 1855 by the French engineer Alphonse Poitevin as a method for photographic fine art printing. Photographic prints of the 19th century had poor image preservability and gradually faded and discoloured over time. To compensate for this, various printing methods using pigments were devised; one of the established techniques among them was collotype.