Iku Tsuchiya

I am a Japanese art practitioner specializing in photography, now living and working in north-east England. Before becoming a Lecturer in Fine Art at Teesside University, Middlesbrough, I was the Jo Spence Research Fellow at Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, working on a photographic project in collaboration with Northumbria NHS Trust.

Education:

• MPhil Fine Art, School of Arts & Social Sciences, Northumbria University, U.K, 2004-2009.
• MA Photography, School of Arts & Design, Nottingham Trent University, U.K, 1998-2000.
• BA Media Art, School of Arts, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Japan, 1994-1998.

Awards:

• 2012, Combined Royal Colleges Medal, Royal Photographic Society, London, U.K.
• 2006, Overall winner, The Seeds of Change Photographic Award, London, U.K.
• 2005, The Miki Jun Award, Nikon Salon, Tokyo, Japan.
• 2000-2004, Jo Spence Fellowship, UK.
• 2000, Overall winner, The Observer Hodge Photographic Award, The Observer, London, U.K.

My practice-based research explores ideas and methodologies around narrating human experiences with photographic images. The wider interpretation of portraying humanity is my on-going project. It is also concerned with issues of archiving and display. 

2020: Berwick Photography Competition, Healing Arts project, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust.

2017 ongoing: 'Supporting Women in the Community and Home (SWITCH) project in Middlesbrough. This is a Lottery funded project which is managed and delivered by NACRO in Tees Valley.

• 2017: Group Exhibition 'Wa no Contemporary Art in Japan', Takamatsu, Shikoku, Japan.
• 2016: Artist in Residency, Miyoshi, Tokushima, Sikoku Island, Japan.

• Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University
• Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust

Through hands-on, practical workshops, lectures and group discussions, I try and inspire students to explore and to think as critically as possible across the widest range of creative aspects within the medium of photography, both traditional and digital.