Emi Mizukami is an artist living in Tokyo, Japan working predominantly in painting. At once allegorical and abstruse, Mizukami’s work develops a dense visual and material language, engaging with ancient and contemporary modes of representation. Various symbols, motifs and references emerge repeatedly across Mizukami’s practice. These include ancient mythological images such as snakes, swords and angels, disembodied and enlarged hands and feet, and contemporary and pop culture references.

Building up the painting’s surface through numerous layers of imagery and sand paste–thickened paint, recurring depictions become simultaneously concretized and obscured as they emerge or submerge. Although earlier images now lie hidden underneath the surface, Mizukami does not distinguish any hierarchy between these visible and invisible layers. Instead, the hidden and exposed - described by the artist as the “disappearing” and “remaining” images - are seen as mutually developing the painting’s pictorial, temporal and structural plane. These sealed, under-layers resurface on the backs of the paintings as loosely drawn and painted fragments from the artist’s memory. In this way, the work’s representational structure and allegorical timeline is further complicated as supposed origin images and initial sketches are reconstituted as final marks and remembered traces.

Mizukami received her BFA in Oil Painting from Tama Art University, Tokyo in 2017. Previous solo exhibitions include Million Bubbles at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles, CA (2024); Pale Phantom at King’s Leap, NY (2024); And so it goes at Larder, Los Angeles, CA (2023), So it goes at 4649, Tokyo, JP (2022); Catharsis Bed at CADAN YURAKUCHO, Tokyo, JP (2022) and Dear sentiment at TOKAS Hongo, Tokyo, JP (2021).

Exhibitions
Million Bubbles, 2024
We'll Be Your Mirror for Condo hosted by Herald St, 2024
Atavism for the Future, 2023



Installation view. Let’s See レッツ・シー, 2024. Co-produced with Misako & Rosen, Tokyo and Roh Projects, Jakarta at Helutrans, Singapore.


Emi Mizukami, The fifth ball on top of each others, 2024. Acrylic pencil, sand and linen on panel, 76.5 x 51.25 in. (194 x 130.3 cm).


Installation view. Million Bubbles by Emi Mizukami, 2024.


Emi Mizukami, The sun is steel blazing, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand on linen, 57.5 x 44.5 in. (146 x 113 cm).


Detail. Emi Mizukami, The sun is steel blazing, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand on linen, 57.5 x 44.5 in. (146 x 113 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, The sun is steel blazing, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand on linen, 57.5 x 44.5 in. (146 x 113 cm).


Emi Mizukami, fleeting dream, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 14 x 8.75 in. (35 x 22 cm).


Detail. Emi Mizukami, fleeting dream, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 14 x 8.75 in. (35 x 22 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, fleeting dream, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 14 x 8.75 in. (35 x 22 cm).


Detail. Emi Mizukami, fleeting dream, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 14 x 8.75 in. (35 x 22 cm).


Installation view. Million Bubbles by Emi Mizukami, 2024.


Emi Mizukami, way (to get somewhere), 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand on linen, 51.5 x 63.5 in. (131 x 161 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, way (to get somewhere), 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand on linen, 51.5 x 63.5 in. (131 x 161 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Million Bubbles, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16 x 11 in. (41 x 28 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, Million Bubbles, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16 x 11 in. (41 x 28 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Strangers, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16.5 x 11 in. (42 x 28 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, Strangers, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16.5 x 11 in. (42 x 28 cm).


Detail. Emi Mizukami, Strangers, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16.5 x 11 in. (42 x 28 cm).


Emi Mizukami, beginning-to-end drawings, 2024. Pencil on paper, 11.5 x 8.25 in. (29 x 21 cm).


Installation view. Pale Phantom by Emi Mizukami, 2024. King's Leap, New York.


Installation view. Pale Phantom by Emi Mizukami, 2024. King's Leap, New York.


Emi Mizukami, If the Accident will (The golden key), 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 28.75 × 21 in. (73 × 53.3 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, If the Accident will (The golden key), 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 28.75 x 21 in. (73 x 53.3 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Clever horse, 2024. Pencil on paper, 10.75 x 8.75 in. (27.3 x 22.2 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Hummingbird Steel Alive V, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 23.75 x 16.75 in. (60 × 42.5 cm).


Installation view. 4 ARTISTS, 2024. Kosaku Kanechika, Tokyo.


Installation view. 4 ARTISTS, 2024. Kosaku Kanechika, Tokyo.


Emi Mizukami, An illusory conversation, 2024. Acrylic, charcoal pencil, sand paste, pastel, desart sand, linen on panel, 14 x 9.5 in. (35.7 x 24 cm).


Installation view. We'll Be Your Mirror, 2024. Condo hosted by Herald St, London.


Emi Mizukami, Blue rose, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 13.4 x 9.4 in. (34 x 24 cm).


Detail. Emi Mizukami, Blue rose, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 13.4 x 9.4 in. (34 x 24 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, Blue rose, 2024. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, pastel, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 13.4 x 9.4 in. (34 x 24 cm).


Installation view. Atavism for the Future, 2023. Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles.


Emi Mizukami, trick, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 9.5 x 6.75 in. (24 x 17 cm).


Emi Mizukami, trick, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 9.5 x 6.75 in. (24 x 17 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, trick, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 9.5 x 6.75 in. (24 x 17 cm).


Installation view. Atavism for the Future, 2023. Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles.


Emi Mizukami, As if it were an eternity, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 24.25 x 17 in. (61.5 x 46.5 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, As if it were an eternity, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 24.25 x 17 in. (61.5 x 46.5 cm).


Installation view. And so it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2023. Larder, Los Angeles.


Emi Mizukami, Any number of wishes is acceptable VIII, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 51.5 x 35.75 in. (131 x 90.5 cm).


Installation view. And so it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2023. Larder, Los Angeles.


Emi Mizukami, Not forever, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16.75 x 13.25 in. (42.5 x 33.5 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, Not forever, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 16.75 x 13.25 in. (42.5 x 33.5 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Untitled, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 9.75 x 7 in. (24.5 x 17.5 cm).


Back. Emi Mizukami, Untitled, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 9.75 x 7 in. (24.5 x 17.5 cm).


Installation view. If the accident will by Emi Mizukami, 2023. Ritsuki Fujisaki Gallery, Tokyo.


Installation view. If the accident will by Emi Mizukami, 2023. Ritsuki Fujisaki Gallery, Tokyo.


Emi Mizukami, Ordinary Days II, 2023. Acrylic, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on panel, 10.5 x 7.25 in. (27 x 18.5 cm).


Installation view. If the accident will by Emi Mizukami, 2023. Ritsuki Fujisaki Gallery, Tokyo.


Installation view. Fungal Fugue, 2023. Hagiwara Projects, Tokyo.


Emi Mizukami, Sleeping Dog and Some Salvation, 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on canvas, 31.5 x 21.75 in. (80 x 55.5 cm).


Emi Mizukami, Four birds (beautiful sky), 2023. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on canvas, 10.75 x 7.75 in. (27.4 x 19.8 cm).


Installation view. So it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2022. 4649, Tokyo.


Installation view. So it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2022. 4649, Tokyo.


Installation view. So it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2022. 4649, Tokyo.


Emi Mizukami, Sweet Dream Ⅱ, 2022. Acrylic, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand, linen on canvas, 45.75 x 31.5 in. (116.5 x 80 cm).


Installation view. So it goes by Emi Mizukami, 2022. 4649, Tokyo.


Installation view. Catharsis Bed, 2022. Curated by 4649 at CADAN Yurakucho, Tokyo.


Installation view. Catharsis Bed, 2022. Curated by 4649 at CADAN Yurakucho, Tokyo.


Emi Mizukami, Waiting for a great day II, 2021. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste, desert sand on canvas, 46 x 31.75 in. (117 x 81 cm).


Emi Mizukami, blindfold, 2021. Acrylic paint, charcoal pencil, sand paste on panel, 51.25 x 35.25 in. (130.3 x 89.4 cm).