TOYO

◾ Career:
Graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design, Department of Western Painting in 2002

◾️ Motives for production
After graduating from university, I stayed away from production for 20 years, but due to lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I started facing canvas again. Rediscovering the joy of genuinely interacting with color without being bound by anything is the driving force behind my current creative activities. It was precisely because of this “empty 20 years” that we objectively looked back at the preciousness of human relationships and experiences in our daily lives, and arrived at our current theme.

◾️ Work concept
In my work, the “circles” and “lines” that appear on the screen are not just symbols, but symbolize “people” themselves.
• Themes: “Relationships,” “Distance,” “Connections,” and “Layering.”
The casual words exchanged with someone and the comfort of an accidental moment. The small “dots” in our daily lives are connected as lines before we know it, and form the current “individual.”
The lines that intersect on the canvas express the distance between people, and the overlapping colors and textures express the “depth of time” and “experience” of living together.
I believe that the process of accumulating what we have learned from our relationships and experiences with others and consolidating the energy generated by the thoughts and efforts put into each step of our lives into a single “circle (circle)” is truly the act of spinning life itself.

◾️ Future prospects: expansion of expression and new challenges
Going forward, we are not limited to canvases, but we are expanding the scope for presentations both domestically and internationally, and we are also considering taking on challenges in new fields, such as approaches to media that are close to our lives, such as textiles and package design.

◾ Solo exhibition
2025
・3/20 - 3/23 Stacking up... at Azur Rose Galerie (Tokyo)
2026
・4/18 - 4/26 Spinning the Circle ~ Weaving the Circle at KWARG (Tokyo)

◾ Group exhibition history
2026
・4/9- 4/12 Prayer Art (Prayer Art) Project at ArtExpo New York 2026

〈Other Exhibitions Scheduled〉
・7/21-7/26 Exhibitions (Kyoto)
・8/8-8/9 Independent Tokyo 2026
・10/5-10/10 Gallery Art Point Exhibitions
・11/21-12/6 Azur Rose Galerie Special Exhibition

2025
・100 People 10 2024/25 at Shibuya Cast (Japan)
・Colorful Abstract Art Exhibition at Tsukinode Gallery (Japan)
・5th Artist New Gate Winners Exhibition at Abeno Harukas (Japan)
・3rd Art Notebook and Original Picture Exhibition for 100 People at Gallery Dojunkai (Japan)
・Three-person exhibition at GALLERY AND LINKS 81 (Japan)
・11th F0 Open Call Exhibition Miniature Zero 2025 at Art Shop Saigado (Japan)
・Hankyu Railway “ARTTRIP (Art Trip)” (Japan)
・Kaya Art Competition 2025 in Umeda Printmaking Studio (Japan)

◾ Recent Awards
2025
・5th Artist New Gate finalist selection
・Received the 11th F0 Open Call Exhibition Miniature Zero 2025 Art Shop Saigado Award
・Kaya Art Competition 2025 Umeda Printmaking Studio Award
・Selected for the SHIBUYA ART AWARDS 2025-2026

2024
・Received the President's Award at the 8th Napkin Design Contest
・Received the Picture Frame Award at the 6th In the Room Exhibition
・Received the 3rd 100 ART Notebook Selection Jury Special Award
・100 people 10 2024/25 TRiCERA selection

2023
・Artist Talk Magazine (UK) - Issue 24
・Selected for the U-35 Community Open Call Exhibition
・2nd “100 People's ART Notebook” selection