Eva Rapoport, PhD, is a photographer and researcher with a background in the history of Western philosophy, cultural studies, religious studies and most recently inclining towards cultural and visual anthropology. Eva has spent about 7 years in Southeast Asia developing photography projects documenting local spirit possession practices and traditional performing arts and festivities, while also working on the research of Javanese trance dance known as jathilan or kuda kepang.
EXHIBITIONS
Oct–Nov 2025: Kavka Oudaan, Antwerp, Belgium
‘Jathilan: dancing with the spirits’ – a solo photo exhibition showcasing portraits of entranced performers of traditional Javanese dance.
Mar 2024: Reforum Space, Berlin, Germany
Dec 2023–Jan 2024: Reforum Space, Tbilisi, Georgia
Oct-Dec 2023: Institut Français d’Études Anatoliennes, Istanbul, Turkey
Jun–Sep 2023: Les Éditeurs Réunis, Paris, France
‘/Imagine Unimaginable’ – an exhibition of AI-generated art aimed to visualize metaphorical narratives of and about the Russian anti-war emigration. Images created with the Midjoujrney AI illustrate the interviews collected during an anthropological study.
Nov 2021–May 2022: Museo d'Arte Orientale, Turin, Italy
‘Embodying Beliefs across Southeast Asia’ – a solo photo exhibition showcasing several cases of embodied interactions with the Unseen worlds from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Feb 2020: Rumah Budaya Indonesia, Berlin, Germany
‘Kuda Lumping: Trance and Possession in a Javanese Ceremony’ – a small selection of works depicting the dance, exhibited to accompany public talk and documentary film presentation by Monika Proba.
Sep 2019: BAS Galerie, Berlin, Germany
‘Moveable Feast. Yogyakarta Edition’ – a solo photo exhibition showcasing documentation of parades and carnivals in the Yogyakarta region (Java, Indonesia) between 2014 and 2018.
Feb 2019: In the City, Co-working and Co-living,
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai, Thailand
‘Chiang Mai Looks’ – a photo portrait series exhibition, part of a visual-based study of the unique community of expats and digital nomads that has emerged in the city of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.
Apr 2018: SEA-Junction,
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Thailand
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Thailand
‘Living amongst the Dead: Disparity in Manila North Cemetery’ – a solo photo exhibition portraying the life of the Philippine cemetery slums.
Feb 2017: SEA-Junction,
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Thailand
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Thailand
‘Facing trance’ – a solo photo exhibition showcasing the results of then 2-year-long research of jathilan, Javanese trance dance.