Hello, I'm Kumiko M.

＜Bio＞ Kumiko is an international contemporary artist whose work explores dreams, healing, transformation, and emotional resilience through painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media. After studying Economics at Waseda University, she pursued diverse international careers in the music industry, freelance journalism, luxury branding, and broadcast media. She later moved to California and earned an MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Kumiko subsequently worked as a Product Manager at Cartier Japan and as a bilingual voice-over artist for CNN News. In 1999, she relocated to New York City, where a difficult period of depression unexpectedly led to her artistic awakening. Shortly before discovering painting, she experienced a symbolic dream in which her left and right shoes were reversed. She later interpreted the dream as a prophecy of inner transformation and rebirth. Painting became a profound healing process that lifted her depression and ultimately changed the direction of her life. Since then, dreams have remained a central theme throughout her artistic practice. Kumiko studied fine art at Pratt Institute in New York and graduated from the AAS Program with Highest Honors. In 2005, she returned to Japan before moving to Hong Kong in 2009, where she not only continued her artistic practice but also organized art events for AWA Hong Kong. She relocated to Singapore in 2021. A second transformative moment occurred in Singapore when Kumiko encountered the philosophy of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with gold. Inspired by this philosophy, she restored her first sculpture, which had been broken in New York in 2002. The repaired sculpture later received an award from an online gallery and became a powerful symbol of healing and renewal after nearly twenty years. Kumiko has presented solo and group exhibitions in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her works have received several awards, including the 3rd Prize in the Open Division of the “Joy of Art: Irene Chou Response Show” organized by Asia Society Hong Kong. Her artworks are held in private collections in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. ＜Artist Statement＞ Ray Bradbury once said, “We are an impossibility in an impossible world.” Yes! We are amazing! See the music by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia” Listen to Edward Munch’s “The Scream” Taste Ray Bradbury’s “Dandelion Wine” Touch and feel Andrei Tarkosky’s “The Mirror” Walk and dream Plato’s “Symposium” And smell Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians”. You’d fall in love with this impossible world!