Here, we briefly introduce the judges for the 2008 competition.

Ryoichi Enomoto (art director)

Mr. Enomoto is active in a wide range of fields, including design, editing, publishing and cultural events. Among his more recent activities, in 2007 he planned and produced KISHO KUROKAWA KEYWORD LIVE at the National Art Center, Tokyo.

Katsumi Omori (photographer)

Mr. Omori was awarded the Excellence Award in 1994 (the 9th competition) by Mr. Robert Frank and Mr. Kotaro Iizawa. Since then he has exhibited his works in photo books, exhibitions, and slide shows. He is also active in designing the editorials and covers of CDs.

NOGUCHI RIKA (artist)

Ms. Noguchi won the Grand Prize of New Cosmos of Photography 1996. She has continued to exhibit her works energetically at galleries and art museums inside and outside Japan while living in Berlin since 2004. Her works are on show in the Kanazawa 21st Century Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim Museum.

Nobuyoshi Araki (photographer)

Mr. Araki has been a New Cosmos of Photography contest judge since the first contest in 1991. In December 2006, he released a comprehensive compilation spanning the 357 photo collections published from 1970 to 2005 that also includes commentary by Mr. Kotaro Iizawa.

Kotaro Iizawa (photo critic)

Mr. Iizawa has been a New Cosmos of Photography photo contest judge since the first contest in 1991. He recently published the book “Around the World with Mushroom Stamps” (Petit Grand Publishing, Inc.), which summarizes collections of mushroom stamps.

Fumio Nanjo (director of the Mori Art Museum)

Mr. Nanjo, an art curator, has been a New Cosmos of Photography contest judge since the first contest in 1991. In 2007, he received a commendation from Japan’s foreign minister for his contribution to friendship between Japan and other countries through cultural exchanges.