Sei Shimura is a contemporary mixed media artist born in Tokyo, Japan, and now based in Los Angeles. He tackles important social issues with a sharp graphic design sensibility with craftsman like execution to conceptual ideas. Through Sei’s exposure to different cities and cultures, his art naturally reflects a tongue-in-cheek take on popular culture from a universal perspective. Often his work merges Japanese motifs and American pop culture introducing a new relationship and meaning of the subject matter.
Sei has been able to lead conceptual design projects and develop new ideas of automation and aesthetic through various visual mediums using vibrant color with a vast range of mixed material allowing him to develop a relationship with his work. He has done solo exhibitions in Los Angeles and New York, as well as participated in art fairs in Miami Art Basel. He has also been awarded the at Tokyo Designers Week and has worked with brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mattel and the Andy Warhol Foundation.
His deep involvement with charity and philanthropy has influenced his uplifting and positive messaging to push humanity forward. He is a co-founder of a Non profit organization called Kids Earth Fund which is based in Japan. His work has been publicly exhibited all over the world since a young age. The foundation has been around for 30 years and has been nominated and selected as the final shortlist for the Nobel Peace Prize of 2018.
The bold visual aesthetic and organic textural quality of his work creates a conversation about the obscurity between art and design. His unbounded method of combining a variety of material ranging from paint and wood, to resin and sculptures gives the work layers of depth. Sei presents a new perspective and flare to iconic imagery with a conscious yet humorous message on social or political issues.