Born in 1969 in Cupa, Japan
Lives and works in Saitama, Japan

MR.

Mr.’s neo-pop aesthetics spans painting, sculpture, installation, and video. Associated with the superflat movement, he uses manga and anime to portray his personal fantasies. While he consistently draws his themes and motifs from the otaku subculture or fandom, he is more specifically a self-described otaku artist. His cartoonish visions are essentially inhabited by young characters, who are meant to evoke feelings of moe (a Japanese notion relating to the adoration of fictional figures). In typical kawaii style, he sometimes depicts childlike features (round faces, wide eyes, colorful hair) with innocent undertones. Contrasting with the bright cheerfulness of his all-powerful characters, a wider reflection on solitude, social anxiety, and fear underlies his work. Specifically, the chaotic environments within which Mr. stages some of his exhibitions echo both Japan’s traumatic loss during World War II and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

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education

Sokei Academy of Fine Art and Design, Japan

solo shows

2024
- Invoke It and A Flower Shall Blossom, Perrotin, Paris

2022
- Mr.: You Can Hear the Song of This Town, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, USA

2021
- Quotidianist, How Art Museum, Shanghai, China 

2019 
- Mr.’s Melancholy Walk Around the Town, Perrotin Paris, France
- Carte blanche à Mr. et Pharrell Williams; A Call To Action, Musée Guimet, Paris, France

2018
- People misunderstand me and the contents of my paintings. They just think they are nostalgic, cute, and look like Japanese anime. That may be true, but really, I paint daily in order to escape the devil that haunts my soul. The said devil also resides in my blood, and I cannot escape from it no matter how I wish. So I paint in resignation., Perrotin Hong Kong

2017
- Floating in the Air in the Vicinity of a Convenience Store, Lehmann Maupin, Hong Kong

2016
- Tokyo, the City I Know, at Dusk: It's Like a Hollow In My Heart, Galerie Perrotin Seoul, South Korea
- Sunset in My Heart, Lehmann Maupin, New York, USA

2015
- lost, Hidari Zingaro, Tokyo, Japan

2014
- LIVE ON: MR.’S JAPANESE NEO-POP, Asian Art Museum, Seattle, USA

2013
- Sweeet!, Galerie Perrotin, Hong Kong

2012
- Metamorphosis : Give Me Your Wings, Lehmann Maupin, New York, USA

2010
- Solo Exhibition Leeahn Gallery, Daegu, South Korea

2008
- Nobody Dies, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- Nobody Dies, Lehmann Maupin, New York, USA

2007
- Lehmann Maupin, New York, USA

2006
- Mr., Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, Lyon, France
- NIN-Stealth, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Miami, USA

2004
- Issey x Mr, Issey Miyake By Noaki Takizawa, Tokyo, Japan
- Thank You For Your Hard Work, Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2003
- Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France2001

2001
- Nano Galerie, Paris, France

2000
- Venus #2, Galerie Vedanta, Chicago, USA

1998
- Oh-Edo Kunoichi Ninpocho (Greater Edo Handbook of Female ninja techniques), Shop33, Tokyo, Japan
- Mr., Painter of Alps, Galerie Tomio Koyama, Tokyo, Japan

1997
- Aoi Gallery, Osaka, Japan

1996
- Frone & Perrine ‘97, Shop33, Tokyo, Japan

group shows

2023
- AU BOUT DE MES RÊVES, Lille3000, Lille, France

2021
- Healing, Perrotin, Shanghai, China

2020
- Healing, Perrotin, Seoul, South Korea
- Kaleidoscopes: Contemporary Portraiture, Perrotin, Hong Kong

2019
- MURAKAMI VS MURAKAMI, Takashi Murakami's solo show, Tai Kwun Contempory, Hong Kong
- Bishojo: Young Pretty Girls in Art History, Museum of National Taipei University of Education, Taiwan

2018
- Megane to Tabisuru Bijutsuten, Aomori Museum of Art Aomori; Iwami Art Museum, Shimane; Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Shizuoka; Japan
- Bubblewrap, Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan 

2017
- Murakami by Murakami, Astrup Fearnley Museet, Oslo, Norway
- Yokohama Toriennale 2017, Yokohama Museum of Art, Yokohama, Japan
- The Doraemon Exhibiiton Tokyo 2017, Mori Arts Center, Tokyo, Japan

2015
- Animamix Biennale Daegu Art Museum, South Korea
- Future Seasons Past, Lehmann Maupin, New York, USA

2014
- Bishojo: Young Pretty Girls in Art History - 16 Perspectives for Studying the Idea of the bishojo, Aomori Museum, Aomori City, Japan

2012
- A Nightmare is a Dream, Kaikai Kiki, Tokyo, Japan

2010
- Kyoto-Tokyo: From Samurais to Mangas, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco

2009
- Neoteny Japan- Takahashi Collection, Yonago City Museum of Art, Yonago, Japan
- Animate, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
- Sacred Monsters, Tufts University Art Gallery, Medford, USA
- VRAOUM, La Maison Rouge, Paris, France

2008
- KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
- Kaikai Kiki Artists, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Art Los Angeles, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, USA

2007
- RED HOT: Contemporary Asian Art Rising, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA

2005
- Rising Sun, Melting Moon, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
- Kaikai Kiki Exhibition, Aoi Gallery, Osaka, Japan
- Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture, Japan Society, New York, USA
- AniMate., Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
- Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France

2004
- Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Miami, USA
- T-Junction, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris
- Fiction Love: Ultra New Vision in Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chiho Aoshima, Mr., Aya Takano, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin at LFL Gallery, New York, USA

2003
- Hope-The-Future is in Our hands, LAFORET Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan
- Opening Exhibition, Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Mr. vs. Shintaro Miyake Exhibition, NADiff, Tokyo, Japan

2002
- The Japanese Experience - Inevitable, Museum der Moderne, Salzburg, Austria
- Chiho Aoshima, Aya Takano, Mr., Takashi Murakami, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- Coloriage, Fondation Cartier, Paris, France

2001
- My Reality : Contemporary Art and the Culture of Japanese Animation, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, USA
- Hiropon Show, White Cube Gallery, London, UK; Shinsaibashi PARCO, Osaka, Japan
- Yokai Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- SuperFlat, MOCA, Los Angeles; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, USA

2000
- Superflat, Shibuya Parco Gallery, Tokyo; PARCO Gallery, Nagoya, Japan

1999
- Hiropon Show 32/80, NADiff, Tokyo
- Hiropon Show Vol.7, PARCO Gallery, Nagoya, Japan
- Sampling, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts Inc., New York, USA
- Attention Spam, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
- Hiropon Show PO+KU Art Revolution, Logus Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1998
- Hiropon Show, George’s, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ero Pop Christmas, NADiff, Tokyo, Japan

1997
- Tokyo Sex, NAS, Tokyo, Japan

1996
- Pico Pico Show, Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2023年5月1日
    Kunstforum — 11 PAGES

  • 2021年10月15日
    Sanlian Life Week — 3 PAGES

  • 2021年9月1日
    BB ART — 3 PAGES

  • 2019年9月21日
    PRESTIGE — 6 PAGES

  • 2019年3月1日
    Transfuge — 1 PAGE

2024

Bernard FRIZE, Daniel ARSHAM, Takashi MURAKAMI, Iván ARGOTE, Sophie CALLE, Mr., Hans HARTUNG, Paola PIVI, Mathilde DENIZE, LEE Bae, Park Seo-Bo, Thilo HEINZMANN, KIM Chong-Hak

2024年3月28日 - 2024年4月27日

首爾

10 Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu

Imagine

Mr.

2024年1月20日 - 2024年3月2日

巴黎

76 RUE DE TURENNE 75003 PARIS

Invoke It and a Flower Shall Blossom

2021

Chiho AOSHIMA, Emi KURAYA, Takuro KUWATA, KYNE, Kasing LUNG, MADSAKI, Mr., Takashi MURAKAMI, Shin MURATA, OB, Otani Workshop, Aya TAKANO, TENGAONE, Yuji UEDA

2021年2月5日 - 2021年3月20日

上海

3/F, 27 Hu Qiu Road, Huangpu District

Healing

策展人 Takashi Murakami

2020

Takashi MURAKAMI, Mr., MADSAKI, TENGAONE, Kasing LUNG, Aya TAKANO, Chiho AOSHIMA, Emi KURAYA, OB, Otani Workshop, Yuji UEDA, Shin MURATA

2020年7月23日 - 2020年9月4日

首爾

1F 5 Palpan-gil, Jongno-gu

Healing

Hernan BAS, CHEN Fei, Jean-Philippe DELHOMME, Izumi KATO, MADSAKI, Eddie MARTINEZ, Barry MCGEE, Mr., Takashi MURAKAMI, Aya TAKANO

2020年6月20日 - 2020年8月8日

香港

807, K11 ATELIER Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Kaleidoscopes: Contemporary Portraiture

2019

Hernan BAS, Izumi KATO, Klara KRISTALOVA, Eddie MARTINEZ, Mr., Matthew RONAY, TOILET PAPER: Collaboration Maurizio Cattelan / Pierpaolo Ferrari

2019年9月24日 - 2019年10月26日

首爾

1F 5 Palpan-gil, Jongno-gu

MR.

2019年1月19日 - 2019年3月9日

巴黎

76 RUE DE TURENNE 75003 PARIS

Mr.’s Melancholy Walk Around the Town

2018

MR.

2018年9月14日 - 2018年10月20日

香港

50 CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, 17TH FLOOR - HONG KONG

People misunderstand me and the contents of my paintings. They just think they are nostalgic, cute, and look like Japanese anime. That may be true, but really, I paint daily in order to escape the devil that haunts my soul. The said devil also resides in my blood, and I cannot escape from it no matter how I wish. So I paint in resignation.

2016

MR.

2016年12月15日 - 2017年2月18日

首爾

1F 5 Palpan-gil, Jongno-gu

Tokyo, the City I Know, at Dusk: It’s Like a Hollow in My Heart

2014

Chiho AOSHIMA, Daniel ARSHAM, Sophie CALLE, Johan CRETEN, Tracey EMIN, Daniel FIRMAN, GELITIN, Laurent GRASSO, JR, Gregor HILDEBRANDT, KAWS, Bharti KHER, Klara KRISTALOVA, MR., Guy LIMONE, Ryan MCGINLEY, Takashi MURAKAMI, Prune NOURRY, Jean-Michel OTHONIEL, Paola PIVI, Terry RICHARDSON, Germaine RICHIER, Aya TAKANO, Xavier VEILHAN, Andy WARHOL, Marina ABRAMOVIC, Valerie BELIN, Guerrilla Girls, Alex KATZ, Annette MESSAGER, Yoko ONO, Rob PRUITT, Cindy SHERMAN, Taryn SIMON, Mickalene THOMAS, Agnès THURNAUER, Tom WESSELMANN

2014年5月27日 - 2014年6月25日

巴黎

60 RUE DE TURENNE 75003 PARIS

G I R L

策展人 Pharrell Williams

2013

MR.

2013年10月4日 - 2013年11月9日

香港

50 CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, 17TH FLOOR - HONG KONG

Sweeet!

2008

MR.

2008年10月21日 - 2009年1月10日

巴黎

76 RUE DE TURENNE 75003 PARIS

Nobody Dies

2004

Chiho AOSHIMA, Aya TAKANO, MR., Naoki TAKIZAWA

2004年9月11日 - 2004年11月6日

巴黎

20 rue Louise Weiss 75013 Paris

T-junction

2003

MR.

2003年11月15日 - 2003年12月20日

巴黎

20 rue Louise Weiss 75013 Paris

2002

Chiho AOSHIMA, Mr., Takashi MURAKAMI, Aya TAKANO

2002年6月1日 - 2002年7月27日

巴黎

30 rue Louise Weiss 75013 Paris

MR. AND PHARRELL WILLIAMS "A CALL TO ACTION" AT MUSÉE GUIMET

MR. AND PHARRELL WILLIAMS "A CALL TO ACTION" AT...

MR.

Mr. 'Mr's Melancholy Walk Around the Town' at Perrotin Paris

Mr. 'Mr's Melancholy Walk Around the Town' at...

MR.

"It Girl" © Mr./Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Galerie Perrotin

"It Girl" © Mr./Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights ...

Mr.

PERROTIN

Closed for installation

Perrotin Los Angeles is closed for installation through Friday, April 5.

We look forward to welcoming you at our next exhibition, Art 2 by MSCHF. Join us at the opening on Saturday, April 6, 2024 between 3pm to 8pm! The exhibition will continue through June 1.
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