ABOUT
Junko Mizuno (pronounced: JOON-koh mi-ZOO-noh)
b. May 27, 1973, Tokyo Japan
Having grown up in Tokyo, Junko Mizuno is a self-taught artist recognized for her unique visual iconography of powerful and often sexy women.
Although her art refuses to be categorized, much of it is based on Japanese pop culture from '70s and '80s with the sources of her inspiration stemming from fetish art, folk art, religious art, psychedelic art, pin-up art, advertising art, vintage toys, fashion, comic, food, nature, movies, TV shows, video games… almost everything that surrounds her. Currently residing in San Francisco, she is constantly working on new comics, paintings, illustrations, and product designs ranging from toy figures to T-shirts. Her work has been featured in stores, museums, and fine art galleries around the world.
Motivated by the pure pleasure of creating art, she celebrates the power of women and creates a universe of them, full of energy, both positive and negative.
Official website
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PLEASE NOTE: These are the only official site and SNS accounts owned by the artist.
| BIO | |
|---|---|
1973 | Born in Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan, Junko was inspired by popular comics, magazines, animations, toys, and began drawing on random pieces of paper at a very early age. |
| 1978 | Junko made comics and stories in cheap sketchbooks while learning comic techniques from several how-to books for kids. |
| 1980 | Junko began making magazines with comics, stories, fake ads, fake recipes etc. Setting deadlines to push herself even though the only reader was her older sister. She also enjoyed creating dolls and doll houses out of paper and clay. |
| 1983 | As the first attempt to become a professional comic artist, Junko sent out an original comic to a girl’s comic magazine publisher. The editor gave her encouraging comments but no jobs which was a natural reaction to a 10 year old. |
| 1984-1985 | She kept learning and creating comics in hope of debuting as a professional as soon as possible. |
| 1986 | Her second time sending a comic to a publisher she received encouraging comments, but again no jobs. This led her to give up on comics and decide to become an illustrator. Junko began exploring different art forms other than Japanese comics by going to bookstores and libraries. |
| 1987 | After getting a huge shock by Aubrey Beardsley's work, she began to obsessively make drawings in his art style even though she was supposed to be studying for her high school entrance exam instead. |
| 1988-1990 | Somehow Junko made it into high school. At this point she began using acrylic paint and she became more interested into erotic/fetish art by Alberto Vargas, Eric Stanton, Romain Slocombe etc.Her artwork kept getting smaller and smaller as they became more explicit, because they had to be hidden from her parents' eyes. |
| 1991 | Junko graduated from high school and started working at a grocery store as a cashier. She kept making a photo-copied hand-made art zine called "MINA", which she gave copies away to her friends. |
| 1993 | When the Sailor Moon Movie came to the theater where she was worked in, it reminded her of the joy of making characters and stories, and she began creating comics again. |
| 1996 | Editors from a pop culture magazine found out about "MINA Animal DX", a special animal-themed issue of the zine Junko made for an event. They offered her a job! Her career as a professional artist finally began. |
| 1998 | Release of the first graphic novel “Pure Trance” in Japan. |
| 2002 | Junko's second graphic novel “Cinderalla” was translated into English and released in the USA. She began attending comic conventions and events outside of Japan for book signings and talks. |
| 2007 | First exhibition in the USA showing original paintings with Miss Van and Lady Aiko at Merry Karnowsky gallery in Los Angeles. |
| 2009 | After working mainly as a comic artist and illustrator for 13 years in Japan, Junko relocated to San Francisco and started working worldwide. |
| SELECTED SOLO SHOWS | |
|---|---|
2016 | “Takarabune” Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2015 | “Triad” Cotton Candy Machine, Brooklyn, NY, USA |
| 2015 | “Ambrosial Affair” Narwhal Art Projects, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 2014 | “Belle” Atomica Gallery, London, UK |
| 2014 | “Moony” Cotton Candy Machine, Brooklyn, NY, USA |
| 2013 | “Rising” Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2012 | “Euphoria” La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2012 | “Venus Cake” Magic Pony/Narwhal Art Projects, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 2010 | “Flora Delirium” Gallery Nucleus,Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2010 | “Deranged” Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2009 | “Desert Women” Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA, USA |
| 1998 | “Hell Babies” Gallery Art Wads, Tokyo, Japan |
| SELECTED GROUP SHOWS | |
|---|---|
2017 | “Unicorn Ⅱ” Nucleus Portland, Portland, OR, USA |
| 2014 | “Temple of Art” La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2012 | “Lucha Libre!” Rotofugi Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA |
| 2011 | “Apocalyptic Mongoloid” CO Exhibitions, Minneapolis, MN, USA |
| 2011 | “The Ham Ba Ga Show” Q Pop Shop & Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2011 | “Water Works” GR2, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2011 | “New Moon 2011” Myplasticheart, New York, NY, USA |
| 2010 | “111 at 111” 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA |
| 2008 | “Pop Art Playmates” with Lisa Petrucci, Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Rome, Italy |
| 2007 | “Bestial” Iguapop Gallery, Barcelona, Spain |
| 2007 | “Heart Throb” with Miss Van and Aiko Nakagawa, Merry Karnowsky Gallery,Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| CURATED ART SHOW | |
|---|---|
2017 | “OVUM-curated by Junko Mizuno” Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| PUBLISHED WORKS | |
|---|---|
Please refer to books section. | |
| SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS | |
|---|---|
2015 | "The Art of Toys” Museum of Art & History, Lancaster, CA, USA |
| 2014 | "Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty” Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2014 | "This Is Not a Toy” Design Exchange, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 2011 | Live painting/artist-in-residence, Kidrobot shop in Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, NV, USA |
| 2011 | "Pinatarama” Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City |
| 2010 | “Small Gift” Sanrio’s 50th anniversary art show, Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, CA. USA |
| 2010 | “SugiPOP:The Influence of Anime and Manga on Contemporary Art” Portsmouth Museum Of Art, NH, USA |
| 2008 | “My Little Pony Project” Chelsea Art Museum, New York, NY, USA |
| 2008 | “Fornarina Urban Beauty Show 6.0 The Call of Dreams” Paris, France |
| AWARDS | |
|---|---|
2007 | “Japan Expo Awards 2007” French edition of “Pure Trance” (graphic novel) nominated in “Good Scenario” category. |
| 2004 | "8th Japan Media Arts Festival” "Fancy Gigolo PELU” Selected as Jury Recommended Work |
| SELECTED GUEST APPEARANCES | |
|---|---|
2016 | “DesignerCon 2016” Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| 2014 | “Lakes International Comic Art Festival” Kendal, Cumbria, UK |
| 2011 | “Rio Comicon” Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil |
| 2008 | “XIV Salon Del Manga” Barcelona, Spain |
| 2006 | “Anime Central” Chicago, IL, USA |
| 2005 | “I Seriernas Värld” Malmo, Sweden |
| 2005 | “International Manga and Anime Festival” London County Hall, London, UK |
| 2005 | “Angouleme International Comic Festival” Angouleme, France |
Click here to download a complete CV.
