This is a virtual tour of Russel Wong in Kyoto, a special exhibition on display at ACM from 29 November 2021 – 10 April 2022.

Russel Wong in Kyoto premieres photographs from the celebrity photographer’s 13-year-long, ongoing personal project to document the geiko of Kyoto, shedding light on some of the rarely seen and lesser-known traditions of this private community and their place in modern society.

Russel Wong in Kyoto was extended till 10 April 2022 by popular demand — displaying 37 additional black and white prints and several new colour images. The images tell stories of traditional and contemporary Japan, revealing how one often merges into the other.

Over 70 black-and-white photographs illustrate customs and traditions of geishas – called "geiko" in Kyoto. The tea ceremony, dance, dressing up, and the lesser known Erikae ceremony, a two-week process where a maiko (geiko in training) prepares herself to become a geiko, are explored. The extension of this special exhibition allows visitors another chance to dive deeper into Kyoto’s culture, and celebrates Russel Wong’s gift of all the photographs in the show to ACM and the Singapore National Collection.

For the best viewing experience, click here to view the virtual tour in full screen (recommended for mobile devices).