ARTISTS / Hikaru Shimoda
1984 Born in Nagano, Japan
2008 Kyoto Saga University of Arts
Japanese artist Hikari Shimoda (b. 1984) is based in Nagano, Japan. Shimoda first studied illustration at the prestigious Kyoto Saga University of Art and Aoyama Juku School before beginning her career as a professional contemporary artist in 2008. Soon after, she was selected for her first solo exhibition at Motto Gallery in Tokyo and has since held exhibitions in galleries worldwide, including Japan, the United States, Canada and Europe. In addition, collaborations on intellectual property and art derivatives of her works continue to emerge, achieving good results in the auction market and solidifying her position in the realm of superflat art.
Shimoda was deeply influenced by Japanese manga and anime during her youth, which inspired her most popular artistic image: innocent children with empty expressions. They are often portrayed in complex and ever-changing environments and settings, such as man’s world, heaven, and hell. They wear bright clothes, but have devil-like horns growing from their heads and various bruises and bloodstains on their bodies. Their expressions are often vacant, hollow, detached, or even "non-human". The inspiration of these images are rooted in Shimoda's memories of her childhood, as well as her feelings about the contradictory and absurd reality of contemporary society. However, Shimoda has given the children a pair of eyes which contain the entire universe, hoping that they can transcend simple cartoon images and carry significant social symbolism.
Beneath their cute appearance lies a deep horror sense, revealing the tragic circumstances of innocent children living in the aftermath of post-war Japan and the nuclear disaster. By depicting the sparkling children figure dressed in various superhero costumes, Shimoda transforms her artistic characters into fantasy superheroes, symbolising the wish of grown-ups to raise and protect children as well as safeguard the world.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2023 Hikari Shimoda: Pain and Wounds, Jaski Art Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2022 Hikari Shimoda: Fight To Live In The Void, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2020 Hikari Shimoda: Silence and Affirmation, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2019 Hikari Shimoda: Can Pop Art Show the Way to Nirvana?, Over the Influence, Hong Kong
2018 Hikari Shimoda: Children On The Edge, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Portrait: Infinite and Beyond Group Exhibition, Touch Gallery, Hong Kong
Art Collector Starter Kit IX, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2022
The Last Unicorn, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Halcyon Days, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA
International Invitational Group Show, Outré Gallery, Fitzroy, Fitzroy, Australia
2021
The Little Prince. 75th Anniversary Group Show, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
15 Year Anniversary Show, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2020
Art Collector Starter Kit VII, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Midnight Garden: Beautiful Bizarre, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA
Group Show, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2019
Art Collector Starter Kit VI, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Hello Kitty, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Lucky 13 Anniversary Group Show: Pop Surrealism & New Figurative, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2018
The Moleskine Project VII, Spoke Art Gallery, New York, USA
2017
Hikari Shimoda & Michael Page, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2016
Influential, Over the Influence, Central, Hong Kong
Below The Surface, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
2015
Between Worlds, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
3rd Art Collector Starter Kit, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA