Madsaki

Born in Osaka, Japan, MADSAKI now lives and works in Tokyo. A graduate of New York City's Parsons School of Design (BFA, 1996), MADSAKI was raised in New Jersey, after having moved from Japan. His experience of these two diversely opposed cultures have formed his aesthetics and personality. While much of MADSAKI's work centers on his interest in art history and critiquing mass culture with references to slang, movies and manga characters, the artist has recently been exploring more personal, intimate topics. To express this visually, MADSAKI developed a signature style using spray paint as a fine art medium, stemming from the fact that he has never participated in illegal graffiti on the streets. The artist is particularly known for his Wannabie's series, which at first glance humorously targets old masters. On a deeper level, the series attempts to use laughter and humor as both distraction and therapy for the artist's internal turmoil.