Born in Kanagawa, Japan
Lives and works in Kanagawa, Japan
Her thematic array traverses various sceneries and moments, each piece resonating with a distinct message, yet collectively weaving a tapestry of sweet girlhood and sober contemplation. In capturing fleeting moments of adolescence, Kuraya creates a space where the line between the viewer and the viewed blurs, where each glance holds a story, and every scene is a gateway to myriad interpretations. As elements of Shojo manga aesthetics and Otaku spirit weave through her work, they create a playful tension, a reminder of the fluid boundaries between art forms and the ever-present dialogue between representation and self-reflection. Emi Kuraya’s art is thus a testament to the potential of seeing, feeling, and ultimately, understanding, in a world that is forever caught between girlhood and adulthood, the imaginary and the real, the lightness of being and the profundity of the worldly.
education
2019
- BFA in Oil Painting, Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan
solo shows
2025
- Happy Bunny, Perrotin Seoul, South Korea
2024
- Girl's Time, Perrotin Hong Kong, China
2023
- Walking in the Sky, Perrotin Paris, France
- A Strolling Path, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022
- Long Vacation, Perrotin Shanghai, China
2021
- Window and Scales, Perrotin Seoul, South Korea
2019
- In Search of a Lull, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2018
- Inside Outside, Hidari Zingaro, Tokyo, Japan
group shows
2022
- Roppongi Art Night 2022, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo
2021
- 2021 Kaikai Kiki Autumn Show, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Healing, Perrotin, Shanghai, China
2020
- Healing, Perrotin Matignon, Paris, France
- Healing, Perrotin Seoul, South Korea
2019
- 2019 Kaikai Kiki Summer Show, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2018
- StageIV, Shinjuku Ophthalmologist Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2017
- Comic Art Exhibition, Ginza Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan
