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

  • 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