Chiharu Kihara

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1979. KIHARA dropped out of high school and pursued art independently. She had her first solo exhibition at Gallery Den (Tokyo) in 1999, then another organized by Katsura FUNAKOSHI at Gallery Kitamura (Tokyo) in 2001, another at Kashiwa Watakushi Art Museum in 2004, and many others. From 2012 she began to hold an annual exhibition, “Vitalism,” at Roid Works Gallery (Tokyo・Yushima). She was awarded the Grand Prix at the 13th Maebashi Art Compe Live 2009. Her works were added to the public collection of Arts Maebashi.

KIHARA creates paintings full of freshness using color, shape, and stroke, and using animals and bugs to express the motif, "the vitality of life.” Rather than using tools, she uses her hands, elbows, and feet - her body - to create dynamic works which leave an intense impression on viewers. KIHARA takes care to scrape away any excess film and investigates a raw condition that leaps into the senses, expressing the possibilities of painting in a way like coming home to the original intent of existence.