WAKANA KIMURA 　　
(@wakanakimurastudio)
Visual Artist / Ebusshi

Born in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan
Live and work in Los Angeles, California and Japan

Wakana Kimura (@wakanakimurastudio), is an artist originally from Izu Shizuoka, Japan. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Oil Painting from the Tokyo University of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the Otis College of Arts and Design in California. In 2023, Kimura was awarded the City of Los Angeles Individual Master Artist Project (COLA IMAP).

Kimura has participated in a number of notable projects and exhibitions, including an Artist in Residence program in Echizen, Japan, where she collaborated with traditional paper craftsmen to create the Echizen Mandala. She was also commissioned by Zenshuji Soto Mission Los Angeles to create the Nehanzu: Parinirvana painting for their 100-year anniversary in 2023. In addition, Kimura has created a 2700 sq/ft mural for the Robertson Recreation Center, commissioned by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and a poster series called 'Through the Eyes of the Artist' for the Los Angeles Metro.

Her work has been featured at various institutions in Japan and the United States, including the Union Station Los Angeles, Pomona College Museum of Art, Baldwin Wallace Museum, Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin, Wilshire Blvd Temple, Japan Foundation Los Angeles, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Brand Library Art Center, LA Artcore, Angeles Gate Culture Center, Maui Art Center, Torrance Art Museum, and more.

（日本語はこちら）

Education
M.F.A. Otis College of Art and Design, Studio Art
B.F.A. Tokyo University of the Arts, Fine Art, Oil Painting

Solo Exhibitions
2024 Journey to the West: Alien of Extraordinary Ability, Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Daily Practice, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Aichi, JAPAN
2023 Phoenix, Studio Garali, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
2023 Nirvana: Nehan-e, Zenshuji Soto Mission, Los Angeles, CA
2022 IMA with HINOKISOKEN, Museum Meijimura, Aichi, JAPAN
2021 chronicle, MonMusee Numazu Museum, Shizuoka, JAPAN
2020 Invoke, Udatsu Paper and Craft Museum, Echizen Fukui, JAPAN
2020 Untitled, LA ArtCore, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Echizen Mandala 2019, Enjoji Temple, Echizen Fukui, JAPAN
2019 chronicle, Centrl Office, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Daily Practice, Nisei Veterans Memorial Center, Kahului, HI
2019 MOMENT 2019, Angele Gate Cultural Center, CA
2018 MOMENT 2018, Koyasan Buddhist Temple, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Heavenly Maiden, LA ArtCore, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Untitled, LA ArtCore, Los Angeles, CA
2012 iro-iro, Cleveland Museum of Art, Baldwin-Wallace University, OH
2011 CHARACTER, Bolsky Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
2007 A Matter of Taste, Gallery NEXUS, Kanagawa, JAPAN
2006 A Matter of Taste, Gallery NEXUS, Kanagawa, JAPAN
2005 Existence as a piece relation with the other, Gallery LeDeco, Tokyo, JAPAN
2004 A Matter of Taste, Gallery Noraya, Tokyo, JAPAN

Group Exhibitions
2023-2024 Here: Arts & Culture Along the K, Museum of African American Art, Los Angeles, CA
2023 LA MANDALA, COLA IMAP 2023 exhibition, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Bridging the Pacific, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
2019 Untitled, Self-Help Graphics & Art, Los Angeles, CA
2017-2018 Journeys: LA Communities through the Eyes of Artists at Union Station, Through the Eyes of Artist, Los Angeles Metro, Los Angeles Union Station, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Natural Selections, Brand Library & Art Center, CA
2016 TAP/LA, TAPPAN Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2016 Shunga, Japan Foundation Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2015 R.S.V.P. Los Angeles, Pomona College Museum of Art, Pomona, CA
2014 Voices of LA, JACCC & Wilshire Blvd Temple, Los Angeles, CA
2013 AJA (Japan America Artists) XXV, George J. Doizaki Gallery, JACCC, CA
2011 US EST / Curated by Soo Kim, Pepin Moore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Otis MFA 2011, Venice 6114, CA
2011 Nothing in common, Bolsky Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Mid-Residency Show, Bolsky Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
2002 Sotsugyo Seisaku Ten, The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, JAPAN
1999 Geisai, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, JAPAN
1997 Sosaku-ten, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, JAPAN
（日本語はこちら）

Artist in Residence
2020 Imadate Art Camp, Fukui Prefectural University, Echizen Fukui, JAPAN
2019 Imadate Art Camp, Fukui Prefectural University, Echizen Fukui, JAPAN

Grants / Fellowship Awards
2023 The City of Los Angeles Individual Master Artist Project COLA IMAP 2023, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
2017-2020 List of Los Angeles Official Mural Artists, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
2017-2018 2017/18 DCA COLA Cultural Trailblazer, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
2017 TAP/LA The First Annual Fellowship in 2017
2016 TAP/LA The First Annual Fellowship in 2016
2005 Grand Prix / Creators Audition, Digital Hollywood University, Tokyo, JAPAN

Commissions
2017-2020 Robertson Recreation Center Mural, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
2016-2022 Present Nirvana Painting, Zenshuji Soto Mission, Los Angeles, CA
2016-Present Nirvana Painting, Soto Zen Temple, Saitama, JAPAN
2013 Through the Eyes of Artist, Los Angeles Metro, Los Angeles, CA

Produced Performance Project
2016 Jodo-e, Zenshuji Soto Mission, Los Angeles, CA
2015 interactive incense burning at R.S.V.P. Los Angeles, Pomona College Museum of Art, Pomona, CA

Catalogs
2015 R.S.V.P. Los Angeles, Pomona College Museum of Art, Pomona, CA
2014 Studio Visit Magazine, Open Studio Press
2011 New American Paintings Pacific Coast Competition #97, Open Studio Press

Bibliography
2016 Meher McArthur, Alternate Realities in the Paintings of Wakana Kimura, Buddhistdoor gloval, Buddhistdoor.net
2016 Katherine Satorius, Interview with Wakana Kimura, TAP/LA Workspace
2013 Heidi Zeller, Inglewood Through the Eyes of Wakana Kimura, LA Metro

Lectures and Guest Artist
2023 Daily Practice, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Aichi
2023 Phoenix, Studio Garali, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
2020 Kokageno Manabiba, Shizuoka Convention & Arts Center
2020 Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Kafului, HI
2019 University of Southern California, CA
2018 Taste of Soul, CA
2017 Journeys: LA Communities through the Eyes of Artists at Union Station, Los Angeles Union Station, Los Angeles Metro, CA
2017 Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA
2016 Kansas States University MFA Department and the Beach Museum, Manhattan, KS
2015 Pomona College Museum of Art, Pomona, CA
2014 St. Andrew University (Osaka, JAPAN), JACCC, Los Angeles, CA
2013 St. Andrew University (Osaka, JAPAN), JACCC, Los Angeles, CA
2012 St. Andrew University (Osaka, JAPAN), JACCC, Los Angeles, CA

Public Collections
Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Metro, Los Angeles, CA
LA ArtCore, Los Angeles, CA
MonMusee Numazu Museum, Shizuoka, Japan
Zensyuji Soto Mission Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
Imadate Art Field, Fukui, Japan

（日本語はこちら）