Shoko Mihira is a Japanese glass artist who creates a universe of unique and captivating monsters reflecting his inner emotions and experiences from his daily life. Each of his creations tells a unique story with an empathetic approach and is modelled after personal encounters, his surroundings and the diverse range of individuals he has encountered along his artistic journey.
Using a burner work technique, Shoko melts the glass tubes on a flame before skilfully shaping them into intricate and mesmerising designs. With great precision and skill, Shoko fills his glass artworks with liquids and threads, bringing to life a stunning representation of the internal world – ranging from emotions to internal organs. The dynamic interplay between the flowing liquids within the smooth yet rigid glass vessels further enhances the refraction of light whilst exploring the notions of emptiness and solidness, adding depth and intrigue to his creations.
Shoko believes that coloured glass offers an unparalleled array of textures and hues that allows him to objectify the events, social phenomena and conversations in his everyday life. Shoko’s uncanny monsters possess a distinct style that effortlessly combines rough aesthetics with playful elements, revealing the adorable yet enigmatic nature of the creatures portrayed, all while utilising dark and muted tones to significant effect. This harmonious blend of elements gives rise to Shoko's distinctive style that effortlessly showcases the whimsical nature of these creatures and his deep understanding of the interplay between emotions, materials, and form.
Shoko Mihira was born in 1979 in Tokyo, Japan, and studied under American glass artist Zii in 2016. He received many recognitions in the past years, such as Excellence Award in 'Monster Exhibition 2020', Honorable Mention in 'IAG Awards 2021', and Special Jury Prize in 'Independent Tokyo 2021'. Mihira’s works have been exhibited in numerous successful shows, including "5 Ikimono Gatari" (Gallery Face to face, Tokyo, 2021), "SICF22" (Spiral, Tokyo, 2021), "Power of Art" (Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo, 2022), "Kowaii Exhibition" (Arai Gallery, Tokyo, 2022), "Group Exhibition" (Gallery Dalston, Tokyo, 2022), "Monster" (Shikisaiya, Tokyo, 2022), and "Real?" (Ginza Tsutaya, Tokyo, 2022).
