Mona Kuhn

Workshop

10-13 November 2025
Paris, France

About the
WORKSHOP

‘I’m most comfortable representing the nude as minimal and timeless. I like to cherish the body as a source of inspiration, as a platform for metaphors, for intimacy and complexities of human nature.  It is my way of investigating the deepest questions about life.‘ 

 

The Creative Process: A Masterclass with Mona Kuhn

For the first time in Paris, Mona Kuhn will guide a small group of photographers through her creative process in an intensive four-day masterclass, an exceptional chance to immerse yourself in Mona’s creative practice and to produce new photographic work under her guidance.

The theme of the workshop is The Creative Process. Over the course of four days, participants will be encouraged to step outside their routines, engage with their surroundings, and create fresh images in response to a series of guided assignments. Through shooting sessions, group critiques, and one-on-one feedback, you will develop a more personal and intentional approach to your work. The program culminates with participants editing, sequencing, and presenting their new images to the group.

Paris, the city of love and light, with its layered history and vibrant atmosphere, will serve as a backdrop for visual exploration. This inspiring four-day masterclass is designed to awaken your creative potential, deepen your practice, and help bring clarity to your artistic vision.

Workshop structure

Day 1 — Exploration and Discovery

  • Introduction: Mona will present her own practice, sharing the artistic methods that shape her projects, exhibitions, and books.
  • Participant presentations: Each participant introduces themselves and their work through a portfolio review
  • Assignment: By the end of the day, Mona will give participants a conceptual prompt to reflect on overnight, which will serve as the foundation for their photographic work on Day 2.

Day 2 — Immersion and Creation

  • Shooting assignment: Participants will photograph in and around Paris, guided by prompts that focus on intuition, memory, and observation.
  • Afternoon: Group reflection on the day’s work and discussion of individual directions.

Day 3 — Refinement and Presentation

  • Morning: Review of Day 2’s photographs in group critique sessions. Mona will offer individual guidance on editing and sequencing.
  • Shooting assignment: Participants continue photographing, refining their approach and building on feedback.

Day 4 — Synthesis and Exhibition

  • Final edit and sequencing of the workshop’s work.
  • Participants present their images-in-progress to the group for final discussion and feedback.
    Concluding talk: Mona will share strategies on how to bring your work to wider audiences—covering approaches to exhibitions, book publishing, and self-promotion in today’s art world.

Who Should Attend

This intensive program is designed for photographers and artists who want to create new work while deepening their understanding of their creative process. Whether you’re beginning a new project, pushing an ongoing series forward, or seeking inspiration for future exhibitions or books, this masterclass will provide structure, momentum, and clarity.

Requirements

  • Submit 12–20 images in advance for Mona’s review.
  • Bring a collection of small prints for in-class critique (digital portfolios also welcome).
  • All photographic genres and approaches are encouraged.

Testimonials from previous participants:

“This was one of the most generous and insightful workshops I’ve attended. Mona’s ability to see the emotional thread in my images helped me push past creative blocks I’d been stuck in for years.”
Daniel K., Documentary Photographer

“Mona’s masterclass was a creative reset. Her feedback was both razor-sharp and deeply empathetic. I left with clarity, direction, and a deeper connection to my own work.”
Elena M., Fine Art Photographer

“Being part of such a small group allowed for meaningful dialogue. Mona’s honesty, curiosity, and calm presence made me feel seen—not just as a photographer, but as an artist.”
Marissa L., Visual Artist

“The experience was transformational. Mona challenged me to trust my instincts and gave me tools to shape my work with intention and soul.”
João R., Cinematographer

For over 25 years, Mona Kuhn has used photography and lens-based media art to re-examine figurative discourse, rendering the physical and metaphysical presence in the human figure. Through her lens, Kuhn invites viewers to contemplate the intricacies of our existence, unveiling the hidden depths of our shared humanity.

Mona Kuhn is an American artist, born in São Paulo, Brazil, of German descent, in 1969. Kuhn earned her BA from The Ohio State University before furthering her studies at the San Francisco Art Institute. She is an independent scholar at The Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Kuhn’s works have been shown steadily, revealing an astonishing consistency in technique, subject, and purpose. Kuhn’s distinct aesthetic propelled her as one of the most collectible contemporary art photographers. In 2021, Kuhn received The Stieglitz Award for her contributions to fine art photography. Occasionally, Mona Kuhn teaches at UCLA and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Kuhn’s first monograph, Photographs, was debuted by Steidl in 2004; followed by Evidence (2007), Native (2010), Bordeaux Series (2011), Private (2014), and She Disappeared into Complete Silence (2018/19). In addition, Stanley/Barker Editions published Kuhn’s Bushes & Succulents in 2018. In 2021, Thames & Hudson published a career retrospective titled Works. Kuhn’s most recent publication Kings Road with Steidl accompanies a multi-dimensional museum traveling exhibition shown in Europe and the US.

Mona Kuhn’s work is in private and public collections worldwide, including The J. Paul Getty Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Hammer Museum, the Perez Art Museum in Miami, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Kiyosato Museum in Japan. Kuhn’s work has been exhibited at The Louvre Museum and Le Bal in Paris, The Whitechapel Gallery and Royal Academy of Arts in London, Musée de l’Elysée in Switzerland, Leopold Museum in Vienna Austria, The Polygon Gallery in Vancouver Canada, Australian Centre for Photography and Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taiwan. Mona Kuhn lives in Los Angeles, and her works are represented by galleries in the US, Europe, and Asia.

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