BIO

Ryoko Tajiri, born and raised in Japan, studied graphic design at Tama Art University in Tokyo, where she became intensely focused on studio art painting. Inspired by the Bay Area Figurative Movement, Tajiri moved to San Francisco and entered the Academy of Art University, studying under Kim Frohsin, Karl Jensen, Baoping Chen, Suhas Bhujbal and Siddharth Parasnis, and eventually receiving her MFA.

Tajiri’s primarily figurative work is both representative and abstract. One can easily recognize the figure or object, yet irregular geometric patterns and shapes dominate. Brightly colored backgrounds, rectangular planes and strong contrasts evoke cubist fragmentation and a sense of depth.

Shortly after her graduation, Tajiri was nominated for SECA Art Award from San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She won Best in Show at the Roswell Museum and Art Centre. Later, she won 1st place in the 2012 Bakersfield Museum of Art exhibition. Along with the numerous awards, Tajiri’s artworks have been published in magazines and books, such as American Art Collector. Tajiri’s works have been purchased by both private and public collectors, such as UC Berkeley and B. Miller, a former mayor of Sacramento. Tajiri has exhibited nationally and internationally in both museums and galleries since 2007.

CV