Speculative Horizons

2021 - 

Speculative Horizons was initially a symposium initiated with Dr Saad Alsharrah that introduced Australian photography to the Gulf and staged a collaborative exhibition between image-makers from both Australia in Kuwait. The initial event was held at Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait, in February 2023. The project aimed to showcase Australian photography as a vehicle to generate interest and exchange between the regions. The symposium introduced work in still and moving forms connected to ideas associated with ‘land’ and ‘people’ and the interconnectedness between space/place and inhabitation/culture.

Dedicated website.

Instagram account.

Speculative Horizons is now focusing on a satellite project between Kuwait and Japan to be staged in the seaside town Atami in Japan.

Tokyo Research Trip

“The whole of Japan is purer invention” – Oscar Wilde

The program provided participants with invaluable opportunities to engage with key figures in the photography industry, including curators, institutional leaders, publishers, and artists active in the publishing and exhibiting world. Most significantly, participants met with image-makers at the forefront of contemporary Japanese photography, fostering meaningful relationships and laying the groundwork for future creative and professional endeavours. Guests included Moe Suzuki, Hajime Kimura, Kenta Cobayashi, Go Itmai and Masatoshi Kobayashi.

The program was based in a dedicated central location in Tokyo close to Shinjuku, providing a space for productive and provocative discussions and collaborative interactions. This hub served as a creative laboratory, where participants discussed projects and exchanged ideas.

These connections are further strengthened by Dr Kristian Häggblom’s ongoing research and planning for Speculative Horizons v.2, an event scheduled for 2026 in the seaside town of Atami, which aims to bring together innovative projects from Japan, Australia, and Kuwait.

......... Tokyo Research Trip v.2 May 2026.