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Hikari Shimoda  Nagano, Japan

'Now, Here I am'
'Easy sadness'

* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.


About Hikari


Hikari Shimoda received a BFA from Kyoto Saga University of Arts in Kyoto, Japan, before moving to Nagano, her current home.

Her primary motif is children. ‘Children are nobody, and yet, they could be somebody,’ she says. As ambiguous of an existence as they are, they reflect my personal world and the universal problems that society today has.’

In contrast to her ‘cheerful demeanor’, her paintings represent a darker side which he deems an expression of unconscious emotions. Shimoda characterizes herself as an outsider and struggles to build relationships, and paints not merely to be understood, but also to develop a greater understanding of herself.

Her work has been exhibited internationally and she was won several honors, including most recently third place in the 2010 Excellent Art Work Prize by the Satoru Sato Museum of Art in Tokyo.


Recommended by our guest curators


Aunny De La Rosa

Dir. Comm., deviantART

"There are very few artists for which I can say that I’ve bought a piece of their art on the same day I discovered there work. Hikari Shimoda is one of them. Generally, my art purchases are premeditated with a specific piece in mind. But with Hikari Shimoda it was almost as if I couldn’t help myself, and felt compelled to do so as if controlled by an unknown force. His work is so painfully sad and beautiful at the same time. I especially love his distribution of color and juxtaposition of his subject matter."


Hikari appears in the following Top 10 lists


'Eye Contact'

'Twitterers'

'Japan'

'2011'

'#Instagram'


10 of 17 reactions displayed


"like super scary but in the best way, love it."

"Absolutely amazing ideas this artist has. The light and bright colors show the potential for positive, and the stark black and content, on the other hand, show the reality of the negative. The core of the human condition. The child bites his thumb too hard, for example, to test if he's real."

"i love the colors and the way they were used but what is the true message of these paintings and what inspired the paint to pant them ........the bay w/ the donkey ear is very disturbing...wierd....lml"

"i love the colors and the way they were used but what is the true message of these paintings and what inspired the paint to pant them ........the bay w/ the donkey ear is very disturbing...wierd....lol"

"I think the child is very sweet. But the one with the bunny or donkey ears is kind of disturbing!"

"Beautiful!"

"nice job.. i like it very much the colours go well together and has a bright feeling to it.. i wish i could be that good!!!"

"Hikari,I really enjoyed your watercolor children. I have been struggling with watercolor, I just enjoyed your technique!"

"these 2 pics r just so beautiful.. the innocence, sweetness can easily be detected... I can see that the painter tries to show some pain that he might have had in his childhood.The use of colors, especially in first picture is superb.The second picture has a pro founding impact on me..keep up the good work mr. hikari.. :)"

"I am really tired of the oversimplification of children. Their faces, while sometimes angelic and sweet, can show so many complex emotions. This artist has a good ability to combine colors, but could look a little deeper into his subjects. Thank you."


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