Meet Akari Takenobu, the 2026 Winner of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents
Our take
The announcement of Akari Takenobu as the 2026 recipient of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents resonates with a quiet power, a shift away from the often-bombastic narratives that dominate the art world. It's a validation, not just of her talent, but of a mode of artistic expression rooted in introspection and a willingness to grapple with the unseen. The award itself, backed by Dior's considerable influence, signals a potential broadening of what’s considered compelling visual storytelling, moving beyond superficial aesthetics towards explorations of deeper, more resonant themes. This feels particularly significant given the recent cultural landscape; we’ve seen a renewed interest in the uncanny, the liminal spaces between reality and perception, and Takenobu's work seems poised to capitalize on that curiosity. Consider, for instance, the current fascination with understated elegance captured in pieces like These Levi's® Shorts Are Perfect for Summer Through Fall - a quiet confidence that speaks volumes without shouting – a sensibility that aligns perfectly with Takenobu’s approach. Similarly, the subtle yet impactful styling choices seen in Jennifer Lawrence Makes a Simple T-Shirt Look More Exciting With This Freaky Shoe Trend hint at a desire for nuanced self-expression, a desire that Takenobu clearly embodies in her photographic practice.
Takenobu’s stated history of encountering the “supernatural” as a child provides a compelling framework for understanding her artistic process. It's not merely about depicting ghosts or spirits; rather, it’s about articulating a way of being in the world where the boundaries between the tangible and intangible are porous. This sensibility, deeply personal and profoundly unsettling, differentiates her from many contemporary photographers who rely on spectacle or manipulation. The Dior award’s recognition suggests a growing appetite for art that confronts, rather than avoids, the complexities of human experience. Her focus on "giving shape to this mystery,” as she puts it, hints at a deliberate and likely painstaking process – one that values introspection and a measured approach over immediate gratification. This echoes the ethos behind brands like Coach, whose Coach's New Collection Is a Love Letter to American Craftsmanship demonstrates a commitment to the enduring value of skilled artistry and thoughtful design—qualities undoubtedly reflected in Takenobu's work.
The broader significance of this award lies in its potential to reshape the narrative around young artistic talent. For too long, the art world has prioritized artists who generate immediate buzz or adhere to established trends. Takenobu’s win suggests a willingness, at least on the part of Dior and the judging panel, to champion a different kind of artistry—one that prioritizes depth, contemplation, and a willingness to explore uncomfortable truths. This is particularly relevant in an age of constant digital stimulation, where genuine connection and introspection feel increasingly rare. Her work offers a counterpoint to the relentless pursuit of external validation, inviting viewers to engage in a more meaningful and self-reflective dialogue. The fact that she’s articulating her process—how she relates to the unknown—implies a desire to share not just her finished images, but the underlying philosophy that informs them.
Ultimately, Takenobu’s recognition presents a compelling question: can a quiet, introspective artistic voice truly thrive in our current media landscape? The Dior Award offers a powerful platform, but the real test will be whether her work can resonate with a wider audience beyond the confines of the art world. Will her exploration of the unseen inspire others to confront their own mysteries, to embrace the ambiguities of existence? Or will her nuanced perspective be lost in the clamor for instant gratification? Her journey, and the reception of her work, will be a fascinating indicator of the evolving values within the art world and beyond.
As a child, Akari Takenobu says she was confronted with the supernatural on a daily basis. This unsettling experience shaped the way she relates to her work as an artist. She’s had to develop a complex process in order to give shape to this mystery. After winning this year’s Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents, she puts into words for us what she explores through her work: what it was like to live among the spirits, and how does one relate to the unknown.
What was it like to grow up in a haunted house?
Until the age of 13, I grew up in a very ordinary, standard Japanese house, which people around me would call a haunted house. Strange things kept happening. I was an only child, so I spent a lot of time alone, and ended up kind of coexisting with this strange and unknown existence. I don't feel like that anymore, but because of that childhood experience, I remain interested in the unknown, the strange, what some would call the paranormal, I guess.
As a child, did you talk about it with your parents?
My parents actually had an acute sensitivity to this psychic experience. My father was even able to see its shape. Of course, I was scared a lot. As I mentioned earlier, I was home alone quite often, and so it eventually became kind of normal to me; scary but normal. Somewhere in between the daily reality and the unknown. It's very difficult to express my feelings about it. It was something that was always with me, always there, and so even though it was scary, I felt like I was allowed to be there in a sense.
You said that your father saw the ghost. What did it look like?
Sometimes it would be a small person telling him things about the house, or sometimes it would look like a woman. Sometimes it would be like a mist or a haze, a very vague form of a person.
So how does that relate to these images that you are creating?
When I think about the difference between myself and a ghost or spirit, it is mostly is the fact of my body. As a human being, there's the physicality of my body existing as an object, so by removing that substance, the physicality, maybe I can get closer to being a ghost. That's my starting point. When I take a picture of myself, the physicality of my body does not exist anymore, there's no substance in the picture. Then I cut the picture and disassemble the picture into pieces, virtually killing myself in a way, and then I reassemble the small pieces of these photographs and create a new body, which originates from my body. But by going through this process, I feel like I get closer to being a ghost. I'm not trying to create a paranormal self, I'm just trying to figure out a way that brings me closer to that unknown, to find where that border is.
Being part of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts for Young Talents project has been an extremely motivating and inspiring experience. Young talents are the heartbeat of culture, and therefore essential for the survival of culture, of art.
Peter Philips, Creative and Image Director for Dior Makeup
What techniques do you use to do that?
Basically, I take hundreds of pictures of my body, disassemble them and cut them into pieces, and then reassemble them to create a digital collage. Then I print it, copy it, and again take a couple of photos. It's really a back and forth between digital and analog.
When do you know you’ve found the ghostly image?
To be completely honest, I don't even know whether I've ever done it. I call this process the pseudo experiment or the virtual experiment. I do it simply to learn more about the unknown. I don’t need to find the answer. The important thing for me is to continue seeking. I don't really have a destination in mind.
When did you start this photographic exploration?
About five years ago. In art school, I studied oil painting, but I wasn't really able to trust my judgment when I was painting. So I decided to create a process: I photograph my body, disassemble and reassemble it. Once I set that rule, I became like a part of a conveyor belt—my judgment was no longer necessary because I just needed to follow the rule I had set. The camera and my body function as a device—there's no meaning in me, I'm just a part of the process. Becoming that invisible device is very important to me because I don't want to have a sense of myself in it. I think that by eliminating that sense of myself, I can get closer to the structure of the world. When I use a camera, I can create a distance from my own self. I use the camera to take images as materials.
What did you learn by photographing your body so much, and therefore looking at it so closely?
I was really using the pieces of my body as material only, so it didn't really feel like it was me or my body. I was just a part of that conveyor belt that I mentioned earlier, where I was just doing my job and just following the rules that I laid for myself. It wasn't really about me at all.
This year the participants... showed strength and uniqueness. Akari Takenobu‘s work seduced the jury. Her installation is intriguing and a bit disturbing; it has a contemporary edge with an old school soul.
Peter Philips
The theme of the award is face-to-face, but there are no faces in your work…
It’s true, there is no face. It's more of an interview or a meeting, an acquaintance between myself and the unknown. The face-to-face is between me and the unknown.
What are your plans for the future?
I really want to continue working on this theme, because there are so many other scenarios I have in mind. Right now, I've only gone through the easy process, but there are more complicated processes that I would like to explore. I would also like to try to apply this in a more spatial piece, like a sculpture as image. There's a lot that I want to further evolve through this collage process.
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