Kento Terada
Born in 1991, Okinawa, Japan.
Terada creates installations centered on photography, incorporating various media including video and sculpture. Their work explores how social frameworks such as gender and birth shape individual thought and behavior, using the radical feminist idea that "the personal is political" as a foundation for questioning these structures.
Currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Intermedia Art, Tokyo University of the Arts, and Part-Time Lecturer in the Photography Course, Correspondence Division, Kyoto University of the Arts.
Born in 1991, Okinawa, Japan.
Terada creates installations centered on photography, incorporating various media including video and sculpture. Their work explores how social frameworks such as gender and birth shape individual thought and behavior, using the radical feminist idea that "the personal is political" as a foundation for questioning these structures.
Currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Intermedia Art, Tokyo University of the Arts, and Part-Time Lecturer in the Photography Course, Correspondence Division, Kyoto University of the Arts.
Education
2024 Completed doctoral coursework, Graduate School of Urban Innovation, Yokohama National University
2019 MFA in Intermedia Art, Tokyo University of the Arts
2017 BA in Art Studies, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
2014 Completed program at Photonesia School
2024 Completed doctoral coursework, Graduate School of Urban Innovation, Yokohama National University
2019 MFA in Intermedia Art, Tokyo University of the Arts
2017 BA in Art Studies, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
2014 Completed program at Photonesia School
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Buying Cake for My Imaginary Wife and Daughter, BankART Under 35, Yokohama
2021 Living with My Imaginary Wife and Daughter, Geidai Cafeteria Showcase, Toride
2019 NEW SHELTER?, Okuno Building 306 Project, Ginza
2015 Touching the Closet, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
2022 Buying Cake for My Imaginary Wife and Daughter, BankART Under 35, Yokohama
2021 Living with My Imaginary Wife and Daughter, Geidai Cafeteria Showcase, Toride
2019 NEW SHELTER?, Okuno Building 306 Project, Ginza
2015 Touching the Closet, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
Group Exhibitions
2025 Japan's Emerging Artists vol.22, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Ebisu
Geidai Next 2025, Yamanote Line Museum, Ueno
WHAT CAFE EXHIBITION vol.41, WHAT CAFE, Shinagawa
New Acquisitions, Fukuoka Art Museum
ALIVE!, BankART, Yokohama
2024 Resist, Fukuoka Art Museum
Assistant Exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
Weekenders, Sansiao Gallery, Nihonbashi
2023 T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO: If Attitudes Became Photographs, Yaesu
IWAKAN Magazine 6th EXHIBITION – Masculinities, C7C Gallery, Nagoya
Okinawan Paintings, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
In This Body of Mine, MassART × SoWa, Boston
IWAKAN Magazine 6th EXHIBITION – Masculinities, Gallery-1, Shinjuku
2022 3331 ART FAIR 2022, Tokyo
Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022 (online)
2021 Glimpses of Ryukyu, Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum
Constructing Landscapes, Meguro Citizens' Gallery
Practices to Win Back Humanity, Alt_Medium, Tokyo
2020 Trans-Portraits, Roonee247 Fine Arts
Okinawa is Me, Tsukuba Museum of Art, Ibaraki
Japan's [Possible] Future, Souya Handa Gallery Project
2019 Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition
2018 THEY SHOOT FILMS, rainroot.LAB, Nagoya
WIP 2018, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
BARRAK INDEPENDENTS, BARRAK, Naha
Monochrome Photo Exhibition, Yuu Gallery, Ginza
2017 Keika Exhibition 2017, Tokyo University of the Arts, Ueno
Atlas Exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
2015 When It Becomes Zero, Okinawa University of Arts × Takarazuka University
2014 Two-person Exhibition with Miwa Sakai, Okinawa
2013 Two Exhibition, Gallery Space PinoO, Naha
2025 Japan's Emerging Artists vol.22, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Ebisu
Geidai Next 2025, Yamanote Line Museum, Ueno
WHAT CAFE EXHIBITION vol.41, WHAT CAFE, Shinagawa
New Acquisitions, Fukuoka Art Museum
ALIVE!, BankART, Yokohama
2024 Resist, Fukuoka Art Museum
Assistant Exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
Weekenders, Sansiao Gallery, Nihonbashi
2023 T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO: If Attitudes Became Photographs, Yaesu
IWAKAN Magazine 6th EXHIBITION – Masculinities, C7C Gallery, Nagoya
Okinawan Paintings, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
In This Body of Mine, MassART × SoWa, Boston
IWAKAN Magazine 6th EXHIBITION – Masculinities, Gallery-1, Shinjuku
2022 3331 ART FAIR 2022, Tokyo
Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022 (online)
2021 Glimpses of Ryukyu, Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum
Constructing Landscapes, Meguro Citizens' Gallery
Practices to Win Back Humanity, Alt_Medium, Tokyo
2020 Trans-Portraits, Roonee247 Fine Arts
Okinawa is Me, Tsukuba Museum of Art, Ibaraki
Japan's [Possible] Future, Souya Handa Gallery Project
2019 Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition
2018 THEY SHOOT FILMS, rainroot.LAB, Nagoya
WIP 2018, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
BARRAK INDEPENDENTS, BARRAK, Naha
Monochrome Photo Exhibition, Yuu Gallery, Ginza
2017 Keika Exhibition 2017, Tokyo University of the Arts, Ueno
Atlas Exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride
2015 When It Becomes Zero, Okinawa University of Arts × Takarazuka University
2014 Two-person Exhibition with Miwa Sakai, Okinawa
2013 Two Exhibition, Gallery Space PinoO, Naha
Collections
Fukuoka Art Museum
Fukuoka Art Museum
Residencies
2023 KIAC Creation Camp on Gender and Sexuality
2023 KIAC Creation Camp on Gender and Sexuality
Awards
2025 T3 NEW TALENT Finalist
2024 Shibuya Art Award, Selected
2023 Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022 Excellence Award
PITCH GRANT Recipient
2022 3331 ART FAIR Collector's Prize (Lin Hsiao-Fu Prize)
Selected for BankART Under 35
Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022, Selected
2014 Photonesia Portfolio Review Jury Award (selected by Eiki Mori)
2025 T3 NEW TALENT Finalist
2024 Shibuya Art Award, Selected
2023 Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022 Excellence Award
PITCH GRANT Recipient
2022 3331 ART FAIR Collector's Prize (Lin Hsiao-Fu Prize)
Selected for BankART Under 35
Tokyo Geidai Art Fest 2022, Selected
2014 Photonesia Portfolio Review Jury Award (selected by Eiki Mori)
Press
BRUTUS, Aug 2023: “New Generation Art Pieces in Okinawa” (Chikako Yamashiro)
Asahi Shimbun, Jun 2023: “Fathers and Salarymen Burying Masculinity” (Afreeda O’Brate)
IWAKAN Magazine vol.06: “Clothing and the Body in the Works of Terada & Kodera” (Mika Kobayashi)
Okinawa Times, Jun 2022: “Reframing Norms of Family: First Solo Exhibition in Kanto”
artscape Review, Jun 2022: “Buying Cake for My Imaginary Wife and Daughter” (Kenta Yamazaki)
IMA vol.36, 2021 Autumn/Winter: “I in the Present – Gender and Young Japanese Photographers” (Akira Takahashi)
Okinawa Times, May 2021: “Okinawan Artist Questions the ‘Ideal Family’”
Bijutsu Techo, Feb 2021: “100 Newcomer Artists Defining the 2020s” (Haruka Iharada)
Ryukyu Shimpo, Oct 2015: “Student Group ‘nuge Okinawa’ Forms to Promote Gender Diversity”
Projects Organized
2024 Practical Seminar on Improving Artists’ Labor Conditions, Naha
Talk on Safer Art Venues, Tokyo University of the Arts
2023 The Conditions of Artists: Labor and Art Workers, Naha Cultural Theater NAHArt
2016 ACT UP! Film Screening & Talk, Sakata Kiyoko Studio
2014 Dig↓Dig↓Personal Exhibition, Okinawa
2024 Practical Seminar on Improving Artists’ Labor Conditions, Naha
Talk on Safer Art Venues, Tokyo University of the Arts
2023 The Conditions of Artists: Labor and Art Workers, Naha Cultural Theater NAHArt
2016 ACT UP! Film Screening & Talk, Sakata Kiyoko Studio
2014 Dig↓Dig↓Personal Exhibition, Okinawa
Publications & Essays
2025–2015 Essays and critiques on queer theory, photography, masculinity, and art policy (full list available upon request)
2025–2015 Essays and critiques on queer theory, photography, masculinity, and art policy (full list available upon request)
Conference Presentations
2023 Photographic Imagery in 'Crystal Boys', Japan Association for Taiwan Studies
2021 Queer Family Photography as Practice, Japan Society for Image Arts and Sciences
2023 Photographic Imagery in 'Crystal Boys', Japan Association for Taiwan Studies
2021 Queer Family Photography as Practice, Japan Society for Image Arts and Sciences
Grants
2025–2013 Multiple grants from public and private foundations including Tokyo Arts Council, Kawamura Foundation, and NCAF Taiwan (full list available upon request)
2025–2013 Multiple grants from public and private foundations including Tokyo Arts Council, Kawamura Foundation, and NCAF Taiwan (full list available upon request)
Jury
2023 R.E. Award Jury Member
2023 R.E. Award Jury Member
Talks, Lectures, Panels
2025 “Is There Still a Place for Art in Art Schools?”, CRAWL WEEKS, BUG
“Our Ways of Writing Family Photo Albums,” KYOTOGRAPHIE 2025, with Liu Hsing-Yu
“Decentering Art Practices: Reports & Assemblies 2025,” organized by Decentering Art Practices Committee
2024 “Revisiting Feminism, Queer Theory, and Intersectionality through Art Criticism,” ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2024 Symposium
“Art and Labor #1: Thinking from Okinawa,” Politas TV with Sayaka Uehara, Riko Fukuchi, Nodoka Odawara
2023 “T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO: If Attitudes Became Photographs” Relay Talk with Elsa & Johanna, Mika Kobayashi
Artist Talk with Hanako Wada, KIAC Creation Camp
2022 “Pretend Play and Transformation,” Online Dialogue with Fuyuhiko Takada
2021 “Yatai Chat with Arisa Chinen,” YouTube Channel “Minna no Housoukyoku Tsukuban”
“Contemporary Photography and More...” with Professor Uchibayashi, YouTube “Iwanabi-ton”
“Is Family Photography Supposed to Be Perfect?” with Yutaka Kubo
2017 LGBT Study Tour in NY Report Session
2016 “LGBT in Schools,” Rainbow Lecture, Naha Women’s Center
“LGBT and Unconscious Harm,” Collaboration Lecture with nuge × HIV Rights Network × JOCA, Shuri High School
2015 Lecture on Gender and AIDS Awareness, Chubu Commercial High School
(Additional lectures at schools across Okinawa from 2015 to 2017)
2025 “Is There Still a Place for Art in Art Schools?”, CRAWL WEEKS, BUG
“Our Ways of Writing Family Photo Albums,” KYOTOGRAPHIE 2025, with Liu Hsing-Yu
“Decentering Art Practices: Reports & Assemblies 2025,” organized by Decentering Art Practices Committee
2024 “Revisiting Feminism, Queer Theory, and Intersectionality through Art Criticism,” ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2024 Symposium
“Art and Labor #1: Thinking from Okinawa,” Politas TV with Sayaka Uehara, Riko Fukuchi, Nodoka Odawara
2023 “T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO: If Attitudes Became Photographs” Relay Talk with Elsa & Johanna, Mika Kobayashi
Artist Talk with Hanako Wada, KIAC Creation Camp
2022 “Pretend Play and Transformation,” Online Dialogue with Fuyuhiko Takada
2021 “Yatai Chat with Arisa Chinen,” YouTube Channel “Minna no Housoukyoku Tsukuban”
“Contemporary Photography and More...” with Professor Uchibayashi, YouTube “Iwanabi-ton”
“Is Family Photography Supposed to Be Perfect?” with Yutaka Kubo
2017 LGBT Study Tour in NY Report Session
2016 “LGBT in Schools,” Rainbow Lecture, Naha Women’s Center
“LGBT and Unconscious Harm,” Collaboration Lecture with nuge × HIV Rights Network × JOCA, Shuri High School
2015 Lecture on Gender and AIDS Awareness, Chubu Commercial High School
(Additional lectures at schools across Okinawa from 2015 to 2017)