Hikaru Kawai

Born in Tokyo in 1999. She is half-Japanese/mixed-roots. With this background, he is interested in culturally constructed “boundaries” and “eyes” that attribute and categorize people, such as nationality, race, language, and family norms, as well as personal and small “stories” that have been overlooked and collected in these symbols.

　Many of his works are poetic, realistic images that incorporate his own memories and body, and express a sense of urgency. Through the presentation of his works, he aims to shake the prejudice and superiority created by boundaries. Recent major activities include “Encounter: The Beginning of a Story” (Karuizawa New Art Museum, 2023) and “To the Voice that is Dear to Me” (Courtyard HIROO, 2023). He also conducted a workshop to contribute to the realization of multicultural conviviality at the Artist-in-Residence program at Hamamatsu City Kamoe Art Center, and produced a documentary on the process of the workshop.

Education

Graduated from Musashino Art University in 2022, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Oil Painting

Completed the master's program in Advanced Art Expression at Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts in 2025

History of exhibitions and activities (including residency productions and workshops)

2018-2021

University Exhibition Oil Painting Department Oil Painting Major/Printmaking Major Advanced Production Exhibition 2019, won the Ishii Friend Award

University Exhibition Oil Painting Major/Printmaking Major Competition Exhibition 2020, Kobayashi Kohei Award

Campus Exhibition Oil Painting Course Momose Fumi Seminar Results Exhibition

2022

On-campus exhibition Musashino Art University Art and Design Graduation and Completion Works Exhibition

Group Exhibition: Tokyo Five Art University Joint Graduation and Completion Works Exhibition, The National Art Center, Tokyo

2-person exhibition “Boaders”, WALLA, Tokyo

On-campus exhibition “ATLAS Exhibition 2022", Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts Department of Advanced Art Expression Joint Exhibition

Group Exhibition “Coming Back and Small Art Festival 2022”, Namibashi Hall, Tokyo

Group exhibition “ATOM ART AWARD 2022 Winners Exhibition”, Courtyard HIROO, Tokyo, won the Courtyard Award

Group exhibition “Cultural BYO... Hey!” Art Access Adachi Multinational Art Exhibition, Senju House, Tokyo

Group Exhibition “Chotei Gallery Exhibition 2022", Chotei Gallery, Tokyo

2023

Special Exhibition “Encounter: The Beginning of a Story”, Karuizawa New Art Museum, Nagano

Solo exhibition “Dear Voices - To Dear Voices”, Courtyard HIROO, Tokyo

Residency Production, Hamamatsu Kamoe Arts Center Artist in Residence, Shizuoka

2024

Group Exhibition “Geidai Art Plaza Art Award Winners Exhibition”, PLATFORM13, Tokyo

Solo exhibition “Skin, Flag, Earth”, Hamamatsu Kamoe Art Center, Shizuoka

Screening of “The 3rd Wuhan Berlin Film Festival”, New Binkai Film Art Park, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Screening “4th ERIFF International Reconciliation Film Festival”, Waseda University Okuma Memorial Auditorium, Tokyo

Residency Production, ARTIST IN FUTABA 2024, Futaba-machi, Fukushima-ken

2025

Group Exhibition “LIFE LAND ART SHIBUYA ART AWARD”, Tokyu Plaza “Harakado”, Tokyo

On-campus exhibition “73rd Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation and Completion Works Exhibition”, Tokyo University of the Arts Ueno Campus

Regional Art Festival “ARTIST IN FUTABA 2024 Production Presentation Exhibition”, Futaba-machi, Fukushima-ken (January) /Tokyo Shimbun Headquarters (March) /Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (March-April)

Screening “Love Phantom”, Platform, Tokyo

Gunma Youth Biennale 2025, Gunma Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Gunma

Ibaraki Visual Arts Festival 2024-2025, Ibaraki City Welfare Cultural Hall (Oak Theater), Osaka