Robert van Koesveld

Robert is an award-winning full-time photographer whose work reflects his life-time interest in cultural travel. Since retiring early from his psycho-therapy practice in Perth, he has concentrated on photography, and travels extensively. Robert co-authored (with wife Libby Lloyd) the photo book ‘Bhutan Heartland: Travels in the Land of the Thunder Dragon’ (Fremantle Press, 2010). His book ‘Geiko and Maiko of Kyoto’ (Presence Publishing, 2016), in advance form, won the Australian Professional Photography Awards category of Best Photo Book for 2015. As well as leading phototours in Bhutan, India, China and Japan, he has had solo exhibitions in Kyoto and Dubai, and articles published in Kyoto Journal and Better Photography magazines.
Robert is interested in capturing ‘spirit of place’ and ‘people with presence’ in a cultural context. He is increasingly fascinated with the liminal – the space between.His solo exhibition, ‘Seeing Geiko’, was exhibited recently at The Empty Quarter Gallery in Dubai. The title referred to the need to see other cultures openly, rather than through the lens of one’s own culture. Some of that work was previously exhibited in a solo experiential exhibition in Kyoto – ‘Seeing Geiko’.
Additionally, Robert enjoys creating the picture essay form and has contributed a number of these to Kyoto Journal. He has a fascination with alternative printing processes and small-edition book-making and design.