About
Artist Statement
I depict cartoon-like characters in my imaginary candy colored pop and fantasy world inspired by manga (comic books) through the use of sand painting known as Sunae in Japanese.
Sunae is comprised of brightly colored fine grain sand on adhesive paper, which can grow into installations. Although the process requires patience and precision, it evokes a childlike playfulness and joy within myself, which I hope to share with my audience.
Some of my characters are quite whimsical. I imagine myself visiting their worlds and observing their daily lives. The characters usually show no emotion. This enables viewers to project their own emotional response. I also wish to portray the characters as living lives with a quiet attitude of sincerity and earnestness.
Through humorous depictions of such characters, both endearing and at times awkward, everyday life is expressed, giving meaning to “live in the present moment”.
After having a serious accident in 2012, I promised myself to “live life with a sense of purpose and appreciate every moment”.The characters in my work embody this sentiment. The accident and my artistic practice have allowed me to adopt a more positive attitude towards life and gain the courage to take on new challenges, motivating me to move to Los Angeles in 2014.
I hope that my work inspires people to embrace their daily lives and face difficulties with a sense of humor and optimism.
Biography
Naoshi was born in Iwate, Japan, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles. She works with the medium of sand art known as Sunae in Japanese. Using brightly colored, shiny grains of sand, she visualizes a fantastical world of her own, imbued with a sense of nostalgia.
Naoshi began her career as a Sunae artist in 2004 in Japan, and since 2007 she has exhibited her work internationally in the U.S.A, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, China, Korea, and Taiwan. Recent exhibitions include Hey! Ho! Let's Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk (2016) at the Queens Museum in New York, Small Gift Los Angeles: SANRIO 50th Anniversary Exhibition (2010) at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles, and URBAN SUPERSTAR Show (2009) at The Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina (MADRE) in Naples, Italy. In 2015, Overcup Press published Naoshi's illustrated book ICE CREAM WORK, which was inspired by an artwork she drew at age 7 titled Ice Cream Walked.
For Naoshi, Sunae is a visual tool to express unique worldviews. In addition to creating her own artworks, Naoshi makes Sunae kits, which are available to the public, and runs workshops in the hope of sharing the joy of using this expressive art form.
Museum
Art Fair
- INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR『WHAAAAATS』Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『ART TAIPEI 2019』Taipei World Trade Center (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『ART TAICHUNG 2016』Millennium Hotel (Taichung, Taiwan)
- 『ART OSAKA 2014』HOTEL GRANVIA (Osaka, Japan)
- 『YOUNG ART TAIPEI 2013』SHERATON GRANDE (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『NEW CITY ART FAIR 2013』huashan1914 (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『ART OSAKA 2013』HOTEL GRANVIA (Osaka, Japan)
- 『NEW CITY ART FAIR 2012』huashan1914 (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『Daegu art fair 2012』 EXCO (Deagu, Korea)
- 『ART OSAKA 2012』HOTEL GRANVIA (Osaka, Japan)
- 『ULTRA005』Spiral (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『ULTRA002』Spiral (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Kunstart09』Messe Bozen (Bolzano, Italy)
- 『Art Shanghai 2007』Shanghai Mart (Shanghai, China)
Solo Exhibitions
- 『ICE CREAM WORK』Kansha Creamery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Life is a CIRCUS!』Pygmy Hippo Shoppe (Los Angeles, USA)
- 【Window Display】『Paper Airplane in Edinburgh』Hannah Zakari (Scotland, UK)
- 【Window Display】『Ice Cream Work』PIQ (New York, USA)
- 『Life of Paper Plane』arty punchi gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Little Fighters』Gallery Ashitano Hako (Osaka, Japan)
- 『HIDE & SEEK』Hellion Gallery (Portland, USA)
- NaocityMusashino Garo (Tokyo, Japan)
2-4 Artists Exhibitions
- Himi Kozue & Little friends of Printmaking & Marnika Weiss & Naoshi 『Head in the clouds』Fold Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- So Youn Lee & Justine Lin & Mayuko Nakamura &Naoshi La Luz de Jesus Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- Mizna Wada & Naoshi 『Roll the Dice』Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- Hanae Sasaoka & Miki Fuseya & Naoshi 『Hito Hito Hito』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- Kin Shiotani & Naoshi 『Alphabet Zoo』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- Yuki Sato & Naoshi『Shoes』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- Ikumi Nagasawa & Naoshi『Private』Refined Nest Gallery (Shanghai, China)
Group Exhibitions
- 『The Small Wonders 3』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Out of Order』Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『Midsummer dream show』 Atelier Guillaume Josue & Galerie (France)
- 『Wonderpets 4 art show』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SALUT!7』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『Hive 17 Year Anniversary Show』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HIVE TAROT 13』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Yes, Have Some -Ghostbusters Tribute Exhibition-』 SugarMynt Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『The Small Wonders 2』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Dcon Art Show 2021 -GOLD TIMEY-』Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『Cat Art Show LA』Hop Louie (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Popshop Live』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Princesses of Power』 Atelier Guillaume Josue & Galerie (France)
- 『SALUT!6』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『Wonderpets 3』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hive 16 Year Anniversary show』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Galentine's & Valentine's Show』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HIVE TAROT 12』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『The small wonders art show』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『TAPAS』 Thinkspace Project (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『A FLUX IN TIME』 Art Share L.A. (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Popshop Live』Popkiller (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『ONCH'S SWEET 16 GROUP SHOW』COREY HELFORD GALLERY (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『WONDER PETS 2』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Popshop Live』Leanna Lin's Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SALUT!5』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『Hive 15 Year Anniversary show』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Lost People』 Up Urban Prospective Factory (Rome, Italy)
- 『Salut! 4』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『The many voices of Mark Hamill』Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『THE SPACE SHOW』 Leanna Lin’s Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『PRINT×PRINT』25TOGO BRIGHT (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
- 『Let’s Eat Show』GR2 Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『MATTEL SHOW 2019』Gallery 1988 (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hello Kitty's 45th Anniversary Group Show』COREY HELFORD GALLERY (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hive Gallery 14 Year Anniversary』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『LOST PEOPLE』Looking for art Gallery (Milan, Italy)
- 『FRANKENSTEIN 200TH ART SHOW』COREY HELFORD GALLERY (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『EVERYDAY MAGIC』 Gallery Nucleus (Los Angels, USA)
- 『California Girls』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『PLANTS Show』 Giant Robot Store (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Guillermo Del Toro tribute group show “In the name of the monster, The Robot, and The Bleeding Ghost”』 Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE』 Pygmy Hippo Shoppe (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hive Gallery 13 Year Anniversary』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SALUT!3』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『MATTEL Show 2018』Gallery 1988 (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE』 Pygmy Hippo Shoppe (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SALUT! 2』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『FRIENDZY』 OC Fair (Orange, USA)
- 『Being a Panda』Flower Pepper Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Sweet Pink show』Qpop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SALUT!』Nucleus Portland (Portland, USA)
- 『MATTEL Show 2016』Gallery 1988 (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『TEZUKA OSAMU Deput 70th Show』Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『THE COASTER SHOW 2016』 La Luz de Jesus Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SUPER KAWAII FOOD SHOW』Japan LA (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Wonderland Summer Spectacular -Celebrating 6 years of Leanna Lin’s Wonderland』Leanna Lin’s Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hello Kitty&99 Friends』PIQ (New York, USA)
- 『Hive Gallery 11 Year Anniversary』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『The Little Prince Tribute Exhibition』Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『PIXEL HEART』Gallery 1988（Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HIVE TAROT 7』 The Hive Gallery & Studios (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『DREAMS』Leanna Lin’s Wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Harajuku Halloween in LA Starring Milpom★』 Qpop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Guillermo Del Toro in Service of monsters』Gallery 1988 (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Hatsune Miku Dreams of Electric Sheep』 Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『THE COASTER SHOW 2015』 La Luz de Jesus Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Like a Virgin Collective Show』 Sacripante Gallery (Rome, Italy)
- 『POP swap』The Dream Factory (Frankfurt, Germany)
- 『EMA SHOW』 Hellion Gallery (Portland, USA)
- 『OK, Cupid?』FIFTY 24 PDX Gallery (Portland, USA)
- 『THE COASTER SHOW 2014』 La Luz de Jesus Gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『POPEYE 85TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE ART SHOW』The Hero Complex gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『ADVENTURE AWAITS』 Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『HELLBOY 20th Anniversary Exhibition』 The Hero Complex gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『CHRISTMAS ON MARS』THE MUSEUM OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT（Austin, USA)
- 『TOKUSATSU2』Qpop gallery and shop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Contenart Opening Exhibition / Nice to meet you!』Contenart (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『IVVA Art Night』STUDIO and SPACE IVVA (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『HELLO DESIGN MY ! GIANT MANGO』Pier-2 Art Center (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
- 『GLITZ＆PIXIE STIX』Leanna Lin's wonderland (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『DEVIL & ROBOTS:A Tribute to GO NAGAI』Qpop gallery and shop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Pre-Y.A.T. Exhibition』DESIGNBURG's showroom (Taipei, Taiwan)
- 『YOUNG ART TAIPEI 2013 Preview Tour』Da Xiang Art Space （Taichung, Taiwan)
- 『50 Years of 007 Art Celebration』Qpop gallery and shop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Human Flower show』Qpop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Star Treck tribute show』Qpop gallery and shop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Urban Superstar Festival 2013』Galleria d’Arte Provinciale Santa Chiara (Cosenza, Italy)
- 『The Hive gallery wall』Hive gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Tiny Art』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Metro Art』Tokyo Sankei Building・Metro Squea Blick Gallery B2F (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『アートな切手展』Setagaya Museum Kumin Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Japanese Science Fiction Art Show』Qpop gallery and shop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Sweet Hot Mess show』Cult Status Gallery（USA）
- 『Naoshi mini show』NEW PEOPLE(San Francisco, USA)
- 『Taste FESTIVAL 2012』Direktorenhaus Belin (Berlin, Germany)
- 『A close-up on Pop Surrealism and Urban Art』Miomao gallery (Perugia, Italy)
- 『COLORS』Daikanyama Hillside Terrace / Hillside Forum (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『ONIRIC』MondoPOP International Gallery(Rome, Italy)
- 『A Jim Henson Tribute Exhibition』 Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SWEET STREETS』WWA Gallery（Los Angeles, USA)
- 『URBAN POP SURREALISMO』Centro Camerale Alessi (Italy)
- 『Homeroom』Subtext Gallery(San Diego, USA)
- 『PULP & PIGMENT』Hellion gallery south(San Diego, USA)
- 『ISSUE IMMEDIATE』Galerie Medamothi(Switzerland)
- 『Emigre』SHIBUYA PARCO B1(Tokyo, Japan)
- JapanLA 5 Year Anniversary 『Kittens & Ice Cream Art show』Japan LA(Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Auction exhibition『Dear Japan』Art Connects New York gallery(New York, USA)
- 『Art for Lifeline』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Nezumi Kou』RED CUBE project room (Tokyo, Japan)
- Opening show of Qpop 『What’s Q?』 Qpop (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Universal Love』MondoPOP International Gallery(Rome, Italy)
- 『Japanese Trend-setting Female Creators』The 8th gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
- SANRIO50th Anniversary『Small gift Los Angeles』Barker Hangar (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『2D characters from the new curernts in contemporary art』MondoPOP International Gallery(Rome, Italy)
- 『SWEET STREETS2』Gallery Nucleus (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR』3331ARTS Chiyoda (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『MELT DOWN』Soyal Gallery (AZ, USA)
- 『Manga Girls Inspiration』Junie Moon Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Emerging Contemporary Artists of Japan 2010』2/20Gallery (New York, Japan)
- 『SHINI'N』Marunouchi Building 4F CARD TERIA (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Yukai Hands wo Yoroshiku』Shinjyuku Ganka Garo (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『CWC Chance Show』Shinjyuku Marui One・Gallery Next Door (Tokyo, Japan)
- ART SHOW『Birth2』Omotesando Hills (Tokyo, Japan)
- Greeting card Exhibition『Red Cap Cards』Gallery KUU (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Strange Bedfellows』COMPOUND gallery (Portland, USA)
- 『ILLUSTRATIVE08』Messehallen Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland)
- 『festival della creativita』Fortezza da Basso (Firenze, Italy)
- 『SWEET JAM MUSEUM』Shinjyuku Takashimaya (Tokyo, Japan)
- ART SHOW『Birth』Super deluxe (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Sugarcraft』Kasia Kay Art Projects Gallery (Chicago, USA)
- 『PINK ATTITUDE ITALY TOUR』Becool Gallery(Rome)・GIGLIO(Parermo)・JSIGN(Napoli)
- 『MONEY LISA』MondoPOP International Gallery(Rome, Italy)
- 『GREEN GIANTS』GoRilla! Gallery (California,USA)
- 『Masters Reborn -Re-imagining the greats-』COMPOUND gallery (Portland, U.S.A)
- 『Alice -Art from the rabbit hole-』COMPOUND gallery (Portland, USA)
- 『tinyshop』double punch gallery (San Francisco, USA)
- 『POP INVADERZ』MondoPOP International Gallery(Rome, Italy)
- 『SIGG+MOGRA』Omotesando Hills (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『egotismo』elaboratorio gallery (Mexico)
- 『LOVE.LY』LAB YELLOW gallery (Hong kong)
- 『POP'N FLOP'N』THE REFRESH CENTER (France)
- 『Flower girls』HANJIRO (Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan)
- 『Apple and Rabbit』Theatre cafe (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『On the Top』kawara CAFE and DINING (Tokyo, Japan)
Art Events
- 『MOKUYOBI Holiday Market』MOKUYOBI (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SJ Made HOLIDAY FAIR』Santa Clara Convention Center (Santa Jose, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2022』 Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『Mercado Los Olvidados』 pskaufman... gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Cat Con 2022』Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco』 Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion (San Francisco)
- 『C/STORE』 Tokyu Hands Nagoya 11F (Aichi, Japan)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair Chicago』Wicker Park (Chicago, USA)
- 『C/STORE』 TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Okayama (Okayama, Japan)
- 『ARTIST POP UP HOLIDAY SHOP』Kansha Creamery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2021』Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『C/STORE』Wakayama Civic Library TSUTAYA Book Store (Wakayama, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』TSUTAYA BOOK STORE Okayama (Okayama, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』 Conys-Eye (Kanazawa, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』 TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Kochi (Kochi, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』 TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Okayama (Okayama, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE EQUiA Narimasu (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』 A.D.NEEL (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』Tokyu Hands Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
- 『Designer Con 2019』 Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, USA)
- 『PATCHWORK SHOW Santa Ana』Artists Village (Santa Ana, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair SF』 Fort Mason Center (San Francisco, USA)
- 『Short Run Comix & Arts Festival』 Seattle Center (Seattle, USA)
- 『PATCHWORK SHOW Ventura』 Santa Cruz Hall (Ventura, USA)
- 『SF Zine Fest』 County Fair Building (San Francisco, USA)
- 『LB Zine Fest』 Expo Arts Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『OC Zine Fest』 Anaheim Central Library (Anaheim, USA)
- 『PATCHWORK SHOW Long Beach』Marine Stadium (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Cat Con 2019』 Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『ANIME EXPO』Los Angeles Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『PATCHWORK SHOW Santa Ana』 Santa Ana Downtown (Santa Ana, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair LA』Historic Park (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2018』 Anaheim Convention Center (Orange, USA)
- 『LB ZINE FEST 2018』 Expo Art Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SF Zine Fest』 County Fair Building (San Francisco, USA)
- 『Cat Con 2018』Pasadena Convention (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『FIVE POINTS FESTIVAL 2018』Brooklyn Expo Center (New York, USA)
- 『LA ZINE FEST 2018』 Pasadena Convention (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair』State Historic Park (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair』Bridgeport Art Center (Chicago, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2017』Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『SF ZINE FEST』Country Fair Building in Golden Gate Park (San Francisco, USA)
- 『END OF SUMMER BASH』ARTISTS REPUBLIC gallery (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Cat Con 2017』Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『LA ZINE FEST』California Market Center (Los Angeles, U.S.A.)
- 『Curio Con』Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco』Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion (San Francisco, USA)
- 『Valentine's day pop up shop』Gallery30south (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair』The Grand Park(Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Popkiller 13th Anniversary Event』Popkiller / POP (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2016』Pasadena Convention Center(Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair』Fort Mason Center Herbst Pavilion (San Francisco, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2015』Pasadena Convention Center(Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Renegade Craft Fair』The Brooklyn Expo Center (New York, USA)
- 『MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON in LA』The REEF (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『UNIQUE USA Spring Market』California Market Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『UNIQUE USA』California Market Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『Designer Con 2014』Pasadena Convention Center (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL』Japan Town (San Francisco, USA)
- 『TGS Sunday Market』』Tortoise General Store (Los Angeles, USA)
- 『afternoon』Tokyo Metropolitant Art Museum Shop (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Momiji Ichi』Tamagawa (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』Shibuya Hikarie 8F COURT (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Art Nominoichi』Event space UMU (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Art no Hatake』Shinjyuku Isetan Honkan 5F(Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Visualog』Roppongi Hills Museum Store (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Chips』Daikanyama Hillside Forum (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『Creema』Isetan Shinjyuku Honten・Isetan Girl（Tokyo, Japan）
- 『C/STORE』Shinagawa ecute gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『C/STORE』C/STORE SHOP (Kanagawa, Japan)
- 『Momiji Ichi』Tamagawa (Tokyo, Japan)
- 『YUKAI HANDS NIGHT』Asagaya Loft A (Tokyo, Japan)【Live Paint】