Announcement of prize-winning works 2025

Greeting

We are pleased to announce that the Awagami International Miniature Print Exhibition (AIMPE) is now celebrating its 7th edition.
Since its inception in 2013, this biennial exhibition has steadily grown in both scale and quality, thanks to the continued support of numerous printmakers from Japan and around the world.
This year, we received more entries than the previous exhibition in 2023, reaffirming the growing presence and recognition of AIMPE as an international open-call exhibition. In particular, the number of overseas participants has now surpassed that of domestic applicants, clearly reflecting the global reach and appreciation this exhibition has garnered.
Since the last edition, we have also included international jurors to ensure a more balanced and multifaceted evaluation process. We will continue to uphold our commitment to fostering artistic diversity and intercultural dialogue through this exhibition.
One of the most distinctive features of AIMPE is that all submitted works must be created on washi—traditional Japanese paper. Awagami washi, a proud cultural asset of Tokushima, offers not only a rich expressive quality but also the unique ability to bring out each artist's individuality. Through this exhibition, we hope to share the beauty and potential of washi with artists and audiences across the globe.
All submitted works are exhibited, regardless of whether or not they have received awards. Each piece reflects the artist’s passion and creativity, and we are confident that visitors—whether seasoned print enthusiasts or first-time attendees—will find much to enjoy and discover.
We warmly invite you to visit the exhibition and experience the rich diversity of expression that unfolds across these small sheets of paper gathered from around the world.
We look forward to welcoming you.

Yoichi Fujimori
Chairman
Awagami Factory / Hall of Traditional Japanese Paper

 

Judging Commentary By Keisei Kobayashi

This biennial competition has now reached its 7th edition, marking 12 years since its 2013 inception.
It is worth recognizing that the exhibition has consistently followed a unique and unprecedented system over these 12 years:

• All works must use washi (Japanese paper) as their base material.
• Regardless of whether a print wins an award or not, all works are exhibited (and made available for sale).

Furthermore, it is remarkable that while the first edition received entries from 149 artists from abroad, this time there were 655 international applicants. The total number of entries from both Japan and abroad has also grown from 943 to 1,508 works.  This increase clearly reflects Awagami’s collective efforts, driven by their passionate mission of “Bringing washi to the world.”
Now, regarding the judging process:
In the first round, eight jurors each selected 30 works each, resulting in 240 prints being selected from the 1508 received— truly a rigorous screening.
In the second round, the selected works were voted on, with each juror casting 10 votes. As a result, 16 works received 2 votes, and 52 received 1 vote, making a total of 68 works that became candidates for awards.
In the final third round (to determine Grand Prize and other top honors), each juror cast five votes. One work received 4 votes, six works received 3 votes, five received 2 votes, and eight received 1 vote.
Ultimately, the two leading contenders for the Grand Prize were narrowed down to:

• Ms. Lee Won Sook from Korea, whose work received 4 votes, and
• Mr. Bruno LHOMET from France, whose piece was among those with 3 votes.

After deliberation, the Grand Prize was awarded to Ms. Lee Won Sook’s "Nature Talk with Flowers" for its expressive energy that uniquely emphasized the washi.
Mr. Bruno LHOMET’s "Femme qui se peigne", which was also praised for its sublime use of washi, was awarded the Second Prize.
The subsequent selections: Excellence Awards, Mayor’s Award, Minoru Fujimori Award, Cranfield and Pressing Matters awards proceeded smoothly. However, the selection for the Awagami Factory awards became contentious with a question as to how to interpret the term “digital print.”
While many ‘hybrid’ printworks utilize digital technologies, opinions differed on what qualified as a "digital print." After much discussion, it was clarified that that these awards were intended for inkjet aka ”Giclee” digital prints (and not those that incorporate an element of digital technology ie.: ‘hybrid’ prints). By the time all awards were finalized, dusk had begun to fall.
This year's Grand Prize winner, Ms. Lee Won Sook, is a seasoned artist who has been consistently recognized since receiving the ‘Encouragement Award’ at the inaugural edition of AIMPE. One might say, “Finally!”
A distinctive feature of this 7th biennial exhibition was that most of the top prizes were awarded to artists who demonstrated both considerable technical printmaking skills while having established their own unique expressive vision.  In miniprint judging, each piece is examined closely, allowing even the artist’s breath and intent to come through — a process that makes this result unsurprising.

In contrast, for works using digital technologies, the “human touch” of the artist may be less discernible. Instead, such works rely on strong conceptual creation or ideas and visions supported by sensibility - it is my opinion that digital works simply cannot surpass the tactile and expressive impact that traditional (orthodox) printmaking offers.

 

Prize-winning works (PDF)

Semi-finalists

 

Honorable Mention