Mayu Kunihisa
Born in Osaka, Japan, she studied interior design and architecture. She later studied fashion, fine art, and installations in London, where she attended Barnett Newman's solo exhibition at Tate Modern, sparking her interest in the spatial expression of painting. This led her to start seriously appreciating paintings.
Upon returning home, she began painting in Kobe and studied art engineering. With such diverse backgrounds, she had the opportunity to deeply consider the relationship between the body and matter, and natural engineering.
She explores painting as a medium that can handle multidimensional aspects while functioning as a spatial experiential device. Through physicality, her drawings created in various ways are expressed as light falling into everyday scenes.She is discovering the beauty and delicacy hidden in everyday life.
In recent years, She has been creating a series of paintings called the WIT-WIT series, which use a technique that focuses on the human body, using arm strokes and centrifugal force to paint. A circle the same length as the artist's height is depicted on the canvas, and its layering creates a square screen that seems to remove the space between the canvas and the artist, revealing a square painting space. Paintings (square planes) have the characteristic of being able to incorporate multiple dimensions into a flat surface. This painting series is a square plane painting as a result. The name comes from a drawing that Leonardo da Vinci created around 1485-1490, based on the description of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in his "Ten Books on Architecture," titled "Vitruvian Man."
1983 Born in Osaka, Japan
1999 Graduated from Interior Design Course, Osaka City Craft High School
2000 Graduated from Osaka Mode GAKUEN College of Pattern Making, Night course
2003 Graduated from Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
2010 Graduated from Undergraduate School of Art and Design, Kobe Design University
2012 Graduated from Graduate School of Art and Design, Kobe Design University
2015 Completed the Course of Graduate School of Art and Design, Kobe Design University
2016-2020 Worked at KOBE STUDIO Y3
Currently, works at a personal studio
Job
2018 Osaka Women's Junior College Part-time lecturer
Awards
2023 Sakuya Konohana Award Art department
2020 Grand Prize, Young Creators Award 2020
2020 Jury Prize of Benny Au, The 1st ubisum by ubies
2019 Special Prize, The 22nd Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art
2018 TIVOLI Award, The 47th Contemporary Art International AU Exhibition
2017 Winning, KOBE ART MARCHE Artist Meets Gallery
2017 Jury Prize of Ryoichi Matsuo, Reviewer Prizes of Mugi Nakajima and Yasuhito Mimura, UNKNOWN ASIA
2012 Winning, Toride Street Painting and Video Competition
2010 Encouragement Prize, Graduate Exhibition “Chaos” of Kobe Design University
2007 Grand Prize, Kobe Design University Serendip Competition
Solo Exhibition
2024 Loving transience and selflessness, on my circle painting, Creative Center Osaka, Osaka , Japan
2023 UNTITLED, SMP GALLARY, Tokyo, Japan
2023 Mayu Kunihisa Painting, MI GALLERY, Osaka, Japan
2023 A circle contained in the body, Gallery CONTAINER, Fukuoka, Japan
2022 THE BUTTERFLY DREAM, SOKYO ATSUMI, Tokyo, Japan
2022 Mayu Kunihisa Tong-In Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2022 24th Special Exhibition Door to Art IV “Mayu Kunihisa - Living Painting” Exhibition - Contemporary Painting: A Physical Adventure in Line and Light -, Nishiwaki City Okanoyama Museum of Art, Hyogo, Japan
2022 THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, SOKYO Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2021 HEART CARDIOGRAM, Rashinban Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2021 YES, MY OXYGEN, MI GALLERY, Osaka, Japan
2021 AUTOLYSIS, MEDEL GALLERY SHU, Tokyo, Japan
2020 RAW SUBSTRATUM, KOBE KITANO MUSEUM, Kobe, Japan
2018 LIGHT LESSON, GALLERY CLEF, Gifu, Japan
2018 BEAT PER MINUTE, TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, Osaka, Japan
2018 IF ANYWHERE, Sojiro, Hyogo, Japan
2018 wit-wit smile selection collection spring 2018, KOBE STUDIO Y3 ♯405, Hyogo, Japan
2017 wit-wit small selection collection 2017, 6chome no hanano, Hyogo, Japan
2017 Hello! KUNIHISA, KOBE STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2012 1day cafe presentation by kunihisamayu, Kobe Tenshodo, Hyogo, Japan
2010 Umisakana, CAP STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2010 Umisakanasaka, ART SPACE KAORU, Hyogo, Japan
2010 Umiuusakana, CASO, Osaka, Japan
2009 Cardboard, Giraffe, Flamingo, Gallery Espace KDU in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2008 Performance Exhibition; A Bird that Cannot Fly in NY, Coney Island, New York, USA
2008 Kiss Lips, Gallery Espace KDU in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2007 2468 Nih Shih Roh Hah, Yard in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2007 Where are a bird that cannot fly going?, bar hot brothers Hanaten, Osaka, Japan
2007 Performance Exhibition; A Bird that Cannot Fly in NY, Central Park, New York, USA
2006 22.2.22, bar JP Hanaten, Osaka, Japan
Group Exhibition
2024 Kawasaki City 100th Anniversary Exhibition "Art is a Laboratory of Freedom - Summer Art Camp" Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
2024 MOVEMENT vol.2, Artglorieux GALLERY OF TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan
2023 ZEN ART EXHIBITION, Le Bureau de Représentation du département du Hyogo en Europe, Pari, France
2023 SMP GALLERY -Month of Renewal Open Exhibition：made in mind, SMP GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan
2023 PARCO Wall Gallery 10th edition, Shinsaibashi PARCO, Osaka , Japan
2023 MOVEMENT vol.1, Artglorieux GALLERY OF TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan
2023 Aimaina awai no manimani, HAJIMARI ART CENTER, Fukushima, Japan
2023 Collectors’ Collective vol.7 Osaka, TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, Osaka , Japan
2022 FREE-FORMS, AIFA gallery, Verbier, Switzerland
2022 ART WALL OPENING SPECIAL EXHIBITION, Seishin Central Hall, Hyogo , Japan
2022 Any Kobe with Arts 2022, Hibiya kadan, Kobe, Japan
2022 Chishima collection TIDE, kagoo, Osaka , Japan
2022 ART GOES ON Session 3, Seaside Studio CASO, Osaka , Japan
2021 The 49th Contemporary Art International AU Exhibition, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Hyogo, Japan
2020 ＋FUSION, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art Oji Branch Haradanomori Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2020 ART SPACE AZITO., Atochi Hisaya Grocery, Hyogo, Japan
2020 Corona vs Amabie -Resurrection-, Kobe Kitano Museum, Hyogo, Japan
2019 The 22nd Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taro Okamoto Museum of Art,
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
2019 Yamane Art Marche, Sakoda Art Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2019 CAP NOW, open studio KOBE STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2019 CAP Salon Exhibition, KOBE STUDIO Y3 Annex, Hyogo, Japan
2019 Dallmayer Café, Osaka, Japan
2019 Entrance Exhibition, DAIBIRU Main Building, Osaka, Japan
2019 Postcard Exhibition, KOBE STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2019 ART SPACE AZITO. the 8th Anniversary Exhibition, Sakoda Art Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2019 Weird, Ichigoya, Hyogo, Japan
2019 La nascita di PAM, MACRO ASLO, Rome, Italy
2019 MAGURE in MAAM、Museo dell’ altro e dall’ altrove di Metropoliz, Rome, Italy
2019 AQUA, pavart rome, Rome, Italy
2019 PAM Triumph Exhibition, Gallery8, Hyogo, Japan
2019 MAGURE Triumph Exhibition, Gallery8, Hyogo, Japan
2019 Rokko Meets Art 2019, Rokkosan Mountain, Hyogo, Japan
2019 Shitamachi Art Festival 2019, Komagabayashi, Hyogo, Japan
2019 Bind!, open studio KOBE STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2018 Tekito Circus “HIGH VOLCANO”, ART SPACE AZITO., Hyogo, Japan
2018 ONE PIECE CLUB “Maybe It’s First Time”, TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, Osaka, Japan
2018 The 47th Contemporary Art International AU Exhibition, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art Oji Branch
Haradanomori Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2017 Abstract Painting Exhibition, ART SPACE AZITO., Hyogo, Japan
2015 Elected Exhibition “PLATEAU” of Department of Visual Design, Kobe Design University, Grand Front Osaka
CURIOSITY Satellite Office, Osaka, Japan
2014 Elected Exhibition “PLATEAU” of Department of Visual Design, Kobe Design University, Aoyama Spiral, Tokyo, Japan
2013 Dream of the Landscape, Art hall Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
2013 Machi-to-sora Art Festival, Tokushima, Japan
2012 Graduate Exhibition “Chaos”, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Hyogo, Japan
2011 Two Person Show “Mayu Kunihisa, Shogo Kogoshi”, Kobe Art Village Center, Hyogo, Japan
2010 Graduate Exhibition “Chaos”, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art Oji Branch Haradanomori Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2009 Duo Show “Raiyonmokumoku-ma!”, Visual Center Gallery in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2009 HUNDRED, CAP STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
2008 Underwater Haute Couture, Cornade and Visual Center Gallery in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2007 Serendip Competition, Serendip Gallery in Kobe Design University, Hyogo, Japan
2007 Documenta, Park in Kassel, Germany
2007 temporary home, Kassel, Germany
Art Fair
2024 ARTART KOBE Daimaru Kobe Department store, Kobe, Japan
2022 3331 ART FAIR 3331 Arts Chiyoda Recommendation 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
2021 UNKNOWN ASIA 2021 TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY Booth Grand Front Osaka North Building B2F Congress Convention Center Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2021 Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2021 ART@DAIMARU, Daimaru Kyoto Department store, Kyoto, Japan
2019 ART OSAKA 2019, Hotel Granvia Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2018 KOBE ART MARCHE 2018,KOBE MERIKEN PARK ORIENTAL HOTEL, Hyogo, Japan
2017 KOBE ART MARCHE 2017,KOBE MERIKEN PARK ORIENTAL HOTEL, Hyogo, Japan
UNKNOWN ASIA 2017, Herbis Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2010 CAP ART MARKET 2010, CAP STUDIO Y3, Hyogo, Japan
Collection
Museo dell’ altro e dall’ altrove di Metropoliz, Rome, Italy
Higasi Osaka City Library, Osaka, Japan
Residence
2021 Autonomous Activity Program 2021,YUI-PORT,Niigata, Japan