Asuka Nirasawa is an artist and a researcher living and working in Den Haag in the Netherlands. After graduating from Tokyo University of The Arts, she has worked in graphic design, KIMONO design and as an artist. Nirasawa has lived in India and in South Africa, where she also participated in several artist residency programs. Her geographic mobility has deepened and widened her creative mind and has inspired her paintings, drawings, photographic collages and installations.

Nirasawa’s works have two main elements - colors and concepts. The main themes she applies in her work are: life and death, re-interpretation of history and scientific philosophy. Nirasawa endeavors to expose the obscure parts of reality: Generally people are unfamiliar with the complex mechanisms, forms and colors of cells and other objects in the microscopic world and in the universe generally. As a response to her recent experience (2018 - 2021) in motherhood, Nirasawa’s work has been focussed more on the human body and pre-birth cell division. Her practice focuses on visualization of biological systems and the energy of the human being.

Her manipulation of color has evolved through the study of the color-use in different countries and KIMONO design in Japan. In particular, Nirasawa uses grey as a standard keynote. By applying the three color principles of saturation, brightness and hue, she manipulates colors variedly and richly. After studying the use of intense colors in India and the dynamic use of primary colors in Africa, her grey keynote has found endless possibilities, which she has incorporated into her work.

Conceptually, Nirasawa seeks to use her process to create art to express a tangible version of her thoughts and emotions which, often involves moving back and forth between the conscious and sub-conscious. In particular, she seeks to capture and reflect such transcendental moments.


〈 SELECTED SOLO SHOW 〉
2018    BEING, Eclectica contemporary, Capetown, South Africa
2017    MULTIFINITY, David Krut Projects, Capetown, South Africa
2017    ORIGIN, Gallery Nomart, Osaka, Japan
2013    TRANS_formation_migration, Gallery FIVE FORTY FIVE, Bangalore, India
2009    conversation 2, gallery at Las chicas AOYAMA, Tokyo, Japan
2008    conversation 1, Tally’ s KOJIMACHI, Tokyo, Japan

〈 SELECTED GROUP SHOW 〉
2022    GIRLS RUN THE WORLD, Eclectica contemporary, Cape Town, South Africa
2020    Miracle, gallery Nomart, Osaka, Japan
2019    tête-à-tête curated by Candice Alison, ABSA gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
2018    Line and Gesture, Bag Factory Artist’s studio, Johannesburg, South Africa
2018    Bag factory Prints at Turbine Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
2018    All Stars, gallery Nomart, Osaka, Japan
2017    Cell, Eclectica contemporary, Cape Town, South Africa
2017    Investec art show at Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa
2017    Potch Ardklop Art Festival, Johannesburg, South Africa
2017    POP UP exhibition, @First, Johannesburg, South Africa
2016    Open studio with Gidion Appar, Bag factory Artists Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa
2016    Arteles Open studios, Arteles creative center, Haukijärvi, Finland
2011    Roppongi KIMONO Festa, KIMONO art exhibition, ROPPONGI midtown, Tokyo, Japan
2010    National KIMONO competition, NIJYO-castle, Kyoto, Japan
2010    OOOO, Gallery OOOO, Kyoto, Japan
2005    FAF art exhibition, Gallery GAN, Tokyo, Japan

〈 ARTIST IN RESIDENCY and OTHER PROJECTS 〉
2022    Bermuda Open studio 2, Den Haag, Netherlands
2021    Bermuda Open studio, Den Haag, Netherlands
2017    Artist residency at David Krut Projects, Capetown, SouthAfrica
2016    Artist residency at Bag factory Artists Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa
2016    Artist residency at Arteles creative center, Haukijärvi, Finland
2011    Dress art project “blue stream line” Osaka, Japan
2010    facade art work "FOODS CONVERSARTION" for cafe MANDUKA, Tokyo, Japan
2006 from 2004    “CAKE PROJECT” On Sundays,Tokyo, Japan

〈 ART FAIR PARTICIPATED 〉
2019    Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg, South Africa
2019    Invested Cape Town Art Fair, South Africa
2018    AKAA Art & design fair, Paris, France
2018    Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg, South Africa
2018    Investec Cape Town Art Fair, South Africa
2017    ART KAOHSIUNG, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2016    Art Fair Osaka, Osaka, Japan

〈 PUBLICITY 〉
2021    ArteMorbida Art magazine 8th November, Interview about Asuka Nirasawa, Italy click
2018    Interview about ASUKA NIRASAWA, SLOW magazine, September edition, South Africa
2017    about “MULTIFINITY” Wall Street International, 18th May, South Africa
2017    about “ ORIGIN” JapanTimes, 5th April, Japan
2013    Deccan Chronicle newspaper, 21th Oct, India
2013    "Pop culture meets tradition" Bangalore mirror newspaper, 15th Oct, India
2010    about ASUKA NIRASAWA, u-stream WIWI TV, Japan
2006    CAKE PROJECT, PowerMac magazine January, Japan
2005    CAKE PROJECT, anan magazine November, Japan