ABOUT HITOMI MATSUI

Hitomi Matsui is a Japanese contemporary artist whose work bridges tradition and play, craft and culture. Born and raised in Japan, she studied fine art at Osaka College of Art, building a foundation in drawing, painting, and visual storytelling. After graduating, her passion for exploration led her to live and work in multiple countries, experiences that deepened her appreciation for global culture and continue to shape her art today.

She also worked for an extended period with renowned artist Peter Max, where she mastered collaborative studio workflows and refined her professional painting skills. This experience taught her the discipline of production and the balance between creative vision and execution.

CURRENT WORK

Today, Matsui’s practice focuses on painting and character based storytelling. Her ongoing series NekoSan Adventures follows a hand crafted cat character who enjoys comfort foods from around the world. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of ichigo ichie (“one time, one meeting”), each work captures the joy of everyday rituals and the unrepeatable beauty of shared moments.

Through NekoSan, Matsui creates a bridge between felt and paint, weaving warmth, culture, and tradition. Every canvas is hand painted, each felt piece is hand sewn, transforming a simple daily meal into a playful yet enduring artwork that celebrates connection, curiosity, and global diversity.

Her earlier participation in international exhibitions across Europe, North America, and Asia, often within the emerging contexts of digital and networked art, provides the backdrop from which her current character based work has grown. Through this balance of craft and narrative, Matsui continues to explore how character based storytelling can serve as a contemporary language of cultural memory and exchange.

CV

Solo and Two Person Exhibitions

2018 – Sewing Memories, THE LOCAL NYC, New York

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024 – Adopting BTC, San Salvador, El Salvador
2024 – Pepefest, Beeple Studios, Charleston, South Carolina
2023 – Art Gallery Maryfair, London, United Kingdom
2023 – Art Gallery Westergas, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2023 – Pepe in Paris, Paris, France
2022 – Zetra and Frens, Scare City
2022 – DYOR, Kunsthalle, Zurich, Switzerland
2022 – SELLOUTPEPE, BTC Goods and Frens, Scare City
2022 – Pepe and Frens, Scare City
2022 – Pepeross and Frens, Scare City
2022 – Fake Basel Miami, Miami, Florida
2022 – BTC Art Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee

International Exhibitions and Art Events

2025 – BTC Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
2025 – BBB Art Gallery, Dallas, Texas
2024 – BTC Art Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee
2023 – BTC Art Gallery, Miami, Florida
2022 – BTC Art Gallery, Miami, Florida
2022 – Pacific BTC Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2022 – Plan B Art Collection, Lugano, Switzerland

Publications and Reviews

2023 – “Believers Tone Down Miami,” The Wall Street Journal
2023 – “BTC is Bringing Technology to Life”

Residencies and Collections

2022 – Hodlonaut Collection, United Kingdom
2022 – BTC Museum, Nashville, Tennessee