Maiko Kobayashi 小林麻衣子

Born in Yokohama, Japan, 1977. Now based in Tokyo.

Maiko Kobayashi graduated from The Department of Scenography, Display and Fashion Design, Musashino Art University, Japan in 1998, and got the Master’s Degree from The School of Arts and Social sciences, Northumbria University, England in 2008.

Kobayashi often paints dog or bunny-like creatures with soft features, clearly referred and inspired by real people that crossed the artist's path— and on the connections occurring between them and the empathy generated in their creator. Whimsical and cryptic at first glance, their eyes are always watching and ruminating what is happening in our world, with an omnipresent melancholy and deep, tense expression. These are said to express the conflicts, anxieties, hopes, and vitality of people living in the changing times and society.

Kobayashi’s paintings invites viewers to have a glimpse of the artist's inner world, also a meditative processing itself. You might not be able to absorb all the senses flooding through her work at first glance, and the comprehension could differ from each person. Sometimes her creatures are all recorded in a sobbing impression, but it could also be a state when the sadness has just passed. Viewers might feel empty when they look at Kobayashi's paintings at first glance, but then one would feel the peacefulness seething through after a long stare.

1977 年出生於日本橫濱。現居東京。

小林麻衣子 1998 年畢業於日本武藏野美術大學的空間演出設計學系，並於2008 年獲得英格蘭諾森比亞大學藝術與社會科學學院碩士學位。

小林畫作中的主角有著溫婉的五官以及近乎幽靈般的表情，這些半人半兔/狗的角色明顯受藝術家現實生活中的人物啟發。他們彷彿受到無形力量的威脅，亦可以隨風消逝。他們的眼睛總是在靜觀這個紛亂的世界，眼神滲透著揮之不去的憂鬱。這些表達了世人生活在這多變的社會中內心潛藏的焦慮、衝突、希望和力量。

小林的畫作不但是一窺她內心世界的一扇窗，同時也是觀眾發洩個人情緒的出口。小林的畫作能鑽進觀者內心深處，非得面對自己的脆弱，與作品中的主角來一場感性對話，一起面對世界的荒謬。觀者驟眼看小林的畫作可能會感到悲涼，但看穿愁眉苦臉背後會發現鬱悶過去就是平靜—小林深信人類有足夠的韌性去面對困厄。

PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS

2024
Inside The Window | ARTDYNE | Tokyo, Japan
HOME | AISHONANZUKA | Central, Hong Kong
2023
Be Here, For Sure | GR Gallery | New York, NY
A PLACE FOR WANDERING HEARTS | Gallery Ascend | Hong Kong
2022
Portrait of My Thoughts | GALLERY JOEUN | Seoul, Korea
Profession | ARTDYNE | Tokyo, Japan
Where It All Began | Galerie OMOTESANDO | Tokyo, Japan
2021
Dear Nameless City and You were there | Machida Pario Gallery | Tokyo, Japan
2020
POP UP | LIGHT HOUSE Gallery | Tokyo, Japan
Come on | Shun Art Gallery | Shanghai, China
2018
We are all Kawaii | Space Zero | Beijing, China
Kawaii Thinker | Shun Art Gallery | Shanghai, China
2017
DEAR ART | Gallery WADA | Tokyo, Japan
roomD | MITSUME | Tokyo, Japan
2016
WOMAN IN GREY | MITSUME | Tokyo, Japan
Living in the City” | ROPPONGI HILLS A/D GALLERY | Tokyo, Japan
2015
Capture the moment | MITSUME | Tokyo, Japan
2014
The works so far… | Machida City Hall | Tokyo, Japan
2013
mind / heart : right / light” | Gallery WADA, Tokyo, Japan
2012
“Drift into Time”, Galerie OMOTESANDO | Tokyo, Japan
2011
Sorrows of Life | ROPPONGI HILLS A/D GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan
MIND in a Gap | Galerie OMOTESANDO | Tokyo, Japan
2010
ID | L MD Gallery | Paris, France
2009
Vale of Tears | hpgrp GALLERY TOKYO | Tokyo, Japan
2008
100=141 | Northumbria University | Newcastle upon Tyne, England
2007
MIND SMOOTHER | MUSEE F | Tokyo, Japan
2004
UNKNOWN MIND 2 | Galerie OMOTESANDO | Tokyo, Japan
UNKNOWN MIND | MUSEE F | Tokyo, Japan
2003
Daily songs | Makii Masaru Fine Arts・S | Tokyo, Japan
2024
A Piece of Mind | Gallery Joeun | Seoul, South Korea
2023
Good Morning Japan | Nassima Landau Art Foundation | Tel Aviv, Israel
2022
Beginning | AISHONANZUKA | Hong Kong
2021
Thank You 2021 & Welcome 2022 | GALLERY JOEUN | Seoul, Korea
The Forties; Alluring moments 4th | GALLERY JOEUN | Seoul, Korea
2020
Power of Life | Shun Art Gallery Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan
2019
Don’t look at me! | Pierre-Yves Caër Gallery | Paris, France
Out of line | Shun Art Gallery | Shanghai, China
2018
Young Artists from Japan | Blue Roof Museum | Sichuan, China
2016
春待の月～現代女流作家展 | Nihombashi Takashimaya | Tokyo, Japan
2013
Machida Connection: Born After 1970 | Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, | Tokyo, Japan
2012
Jewel Box | Gallery WADA | Tokyo, Japan
KEEP A BREAST: TOKYO LOVE SHOW | OMOTESANDO HILLS | Tokyo, Japan
2011
If We Hold On Together | Shun Art Gallery | Shanghai, China
Drawing Now 2011 | Carrousel du Louvre | Paris, France
VOCA: The Vision of Contemporary Art 2011” | The Ueno Royal Museum | Tokyo, Japan
MOVE! | L MD Gallery | Paris, France
2010
LOVE CALL | KICHIO Garage | Kanagawa, Japan
Salon du dessin contemporain 2010 | Carrousel du Louvre | Paris, France
2008
Japan to Northumbria | Gallery North Project Space, Northumbria University | Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Visual Arts Postgraduate Degree Show 2008 | Northumbria University | Newcastle upon Tyne, England
2002
SILENT SPEAKER | Galerie OMOTESANDO | Tokyo, Japan

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