Chuuu (* 1975 in Kyoto, Japan) is based in Berlin since 2003. His work centers on the theme of minimal emotion, articulated through a restrained visual language. A quiet gaze and a sense of inner depth, reminiscent of ancient Japanese Buddha statues, recur throughout his practice.
Working across painting and drawing, Chuuu engages with influences ranging from pop surrealism and Japanese manga to Berlin’s underground culture and classical art traditions.
His current practice focuses on two series: portraits of imaginary girls set against cracked and peeling surfaces, and compositions that evoke a sense of place and time through layered collage backgrounds.
He works with a range of media, including gouache, oil, acrylic, watercolor, ink, and colored pencil.
1975 – born and grew up in Kyoto Japan.
1994-1998 – Kyoto Seika University design manga class.
2003 – Moved my activities to Berlin, participated some group exhibitions.
2009-2012 – Artist in Residence at Tacheles.
2016 – EWAAC (East West Art Award Competition) London 2016, Finalist
2022 – RAYMAR Traditional Art Award 2022, Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Finalists
Solo, Group Exhibitions
2025 – "ROSES AND CASTLES: GLOBAL CONNECT", Motzenerstr5, Berlin
2025 – "48 Stunden Neukölln 2025", Neon kunst, Berlin
2024 – "COME GRINCH WITH US", erstererster, Berlin
2024 – "48 Stunden Neukölln 2024", NEON KUNST, Berlin
2024 – "10 Jahre Neon Kunst" NEON KUNST, Berlin
2023 – "chuuu Ausstellung”, NEON KUNSTt, Berlin
2023 – "You’re Beautiful”, Otho Gallery, Tokyo
2023 – “Summer Series”, GH36, Berlin
2023 – "48 Stunden Neukölln 2023”, NEON KUNST, Berlin
2023 – “Banners-many tentacles”, Jugend{widerstands)museum, Berlin
2023 “ACT Art Prize 2023” ATC, Tokyo
2022 – “Unbelievable friendship” Neurotitan, Berlin
2022 – "48 Stunden Neukölln 2022", NEON KUNST, Berlin
2022 – “THE CUT UP”, LiTE-HAUS Galerie, Berlin
2021 – "Wahlverwandtschaft", NEON KUNST, Berlin
2021 – "GOODHEART", GH36, Berlin
2020 – "neue Zeit", GH36, Berlin
2019 "Kuboshow Kunstmesse 2019”, Flottmann-Hallen, Herne
2019 – "Urban Art Week", NEON KUNST, Berlin
2018 – "48 Stunden Neukölln 2018 -Neue Echtheit", NEON KUNST, Berlin
2017 – "The Art From The Heart Of The City" Group Exhibition, Galerie Lottum, Berlin
2017 – "Embalming" Solo Exhibition, Galerie Lottum, Berlin
2016 – "EWAAC" (East West Art Award Competition 2016), La Galleria, London
2016 – "East-West Artists Exchange Exhibition", Somos, Berlin
2016 – "Kyoto Berlin" chuuu und Eric Meßloh Exhibition, Welturlaub, Berlin
2015 – "chuuu solo Exhibition", Honeyed Gift, Tokyo
2015 – "chuuu solo Exhibition", URA-Berlin, Berlin
2015 – "gape 06 - Decay" chuuu Solo Exhibition, Greenhouse, Berlin
2014 – "Fukushima the aftermath", THE STORY OF BERLIN, Berlin
2012 – "Group Exhibition - NOW IS NOW!", Tacheles, Berlin
2010 – "Tacheles Werkschau 20 years", Tacheles, Berlin
2008 – "empty garden vol,1", battering ram, Kyoto
2006 – "chuuu and Tomo Ausstellung", ZeitZone, Berlin
2006 – "Tacheles werkschau 2005", Tacheles, Berlin
2006 – "Japan meets Egypt", KANI MANI, Berlin
2005 – "we - west.east (japanese-german friendship 2005)", Pefferbank, Berlin
2005 – "Stille im Raum", Humboldt-Universität, Berlin
2005 – "Pacifik Raw", Bartik Raw Tower, Hamburg
2005 – "Centralgrapes" chuuu Erste Ausstellung, NEU!, Berlin
2005 – "...und weil die alle zu unterschiedlich sind", Neue Galerie, Tacheles, Berlin
2004 – "Gruppenausstellung", AL RAI, Berlin
2004 – "Verbinding" Group Exhibition, Neue Galerie, Berlin
2001 – "EVE-button" Group Exhibition, Kyoto
2000 – "Kurageya-ten", Nakano ZERO, Tokyo