Artist talk with Aiko Wakao Austin photographer behind “What We Inherit”
Presenters: Aiko Wakao Austin
Presented by:
Artist talks at Photoville Festival 2025 were made possible in partnership with PhotoWings and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment.
Artist talk with Aiko Wakao Austin photographer behind “What We Inherit”
Aiko Wakao Austin is a Japanese photographer and translator living in New York. Born in Tokyo, she spent her childhood in Italy and studied International Relations at Brown University. Earlier in her career, she worked as a journalist in Japan, and later in finance. She moved to New York in 2016 and began photographing professionally and working as a translator. Reflecting her multicultural upbringing, her personal projects explore the concept of identity, family, and culture. Her work was selected for the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards in 2023 and 2024.
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s mission is to support and strengthen New York City’s creative economy and make it accessible to all. In 2019, the creative industries accounted for more than 500,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $150 billion annually. MOME comprises five divisions: the Film Office, which coordinates on location production throughout the five boroughs; NYC Media, the city’s official broadcast network and production group; the Office of Nightlife, which supports the city’s nighttime economy; the Press Credentials Office, which issues press cards; and Programs and Initiatives to advance industry and workforce development across NYC’s creative sectors.
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
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