Madsaki

Osaka, Japan, 1974

            In recent decades, Japanese artist Madsaki—whose real name is Michitoshi Hirose—has emerged as a singular figure in contemporary art, boldly fusing mass culture with a visceral critique of the art world. Born in Osaka and raised in New Jersey, USA from the age of six, Madsaki studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York (BFA, 1996), an experience that deeply shaped his artistic practice. His work, which navigates between pop art and graffiti, is characterized by the use of spray paint as his primary medium—a nod to his fascination with subverting traditional art hierarchies while exploring his dual identity between Japan and America. Throughout his career, he has challenged the conventions of classical art, reinterpreting cultural icons with a biting sense of humor that reveals his sensitivity to the social and personal tensions of his time.

            After living in New York during the post-9/11 years, the artist struggled to find work, reaching a turning point that led him to leave the city and return to Japan, determined to give his artistic career one last chance. For Madsaki, New York represented the “best and worst years” of his life—a city that left a lasting impression of loneliness and resilience, becoming the driving force behind his practice, in which art becomes a means of processing and expressing that inner darkness. A pivotal moment in his trajectory was the exhibition Hello Darkness, My Old Friend (I’ve Come to Talk with You Again), held at Perrotin New York between April and June 2021. This was his first solo exhibition in the city where he had grown up, and it featured works reflecting his experience as an outsider in New York. The exhibition opened with the piece What had happened was, a work that directly addresses the impact of the Twin Towers, a symbol that resonated deeply with Madsaki.

            His work uses humor as a form of emotional release—a mix of distraction and healing in response to his internal struggles. His solo exhibitions include shows at major institutions and galleries such as Perrotin (New York, Paris, Seoul, Hong Kong), Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo), Central Embassy (Bangkok), and HVW8 Art + Design Gallery (Los Angeles).