Maiko Kikuchi
Maiko Kikuchi is a New York-based artist whose practice spans a wide range of media including illustration, painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, animation, puppetry, and performance. With "Day Dream"—the state between reality and the surreal—as her central theme, she creates works that invite viewers into whimsical and curious worlds. Her puppet and performance pieces, which she writes, directs, and performs herself, have been presented at major venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Public Theater and La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York.
Current Role
Board Member, The Jim Henson Foundation (since 2024)
Education
2012：MFA in Sculpture, Pratt Institute (New York)
2009：BFA in Fine Art, Centenary College (New Jersey)
2008：BA in Spatial Design, Musashino Art University (Tokyo)
Artist Residencies
2024：Kino Saito Art Center (New York)
2023：LaMaMa (New York)
2021：HERE / Puppet Residency Program (New York)
2014：ST. ANN’S WAREHOUSE / Puppet Residency (New York)
2013：ST. ANN’S WAREHOUSE / Puppet Residency (New York)
Press
2024: Hyperallergic, Six New York City Shows to See Right Now (Review)
2023：Puppetry International Research, “9000 Paper Balloons” (Review)
2023：Asian American Arts Alliance, “10th La MaMa Puppet Festival” (Press)
2023：Broadway World, “La MaMa Puppet Festival”(Press)
2023：tdf, “La MaMa Puppet Festival 2023”(Press)
2022：AucArt, “In the Studio with Maiko Kikuchi” (Interview)
2022：TimeOut, “9000 Paper Balloons” (Press)
2022：Hollywood Soapbox, “9000 Paper Balloons’ can finally be experienced in person”(Interview)
2022：Yomitime (Japan), “9000 Paper Balloons” (Press p.9)
2022：Weekly NY Seikatsu, “9000 Paper Balloons”(Press)
2021：Create Magazine, “Creating Visible Daydreams by Maiko Kikuchi” (Review)
2021：“Puppet & Video Art: 9000 Paper Balloons” – Yomitime (Press)
2021：Without Paper, “Maiko Kikuchi”
2021：Create Magazine, “Maiko Kikuchi”
2021：HowlRound Theatre Commons, “Puppets Are Immigrants Too” (Review)
2021：Wilder Collage, “Maiko Kikuchi Interview”
2020：Podcast: SLC Performance Lab Episode 02.01 with Maiko Kikuchi (Interview)
2019：Weekly NY Seikatsu, “Daydreams Brought to Life Through Puppets”
2018：BRIC TV, “Manifesting Daydreams with Artist Maiko Kikuchi” (Interview)
2018 : New York Theater "Jump Start : Puppetry from Lyrical to Hysterical at La MaMa" (Review)
2016：La MaMa Blog, “6 Questions: Maiko Kikuchi” (Interview)
2015：Galleria Ca' d'Oro, “No Parking” (Press)
2015：Artsy, “No Parking” (Press)
Performances (written, directed, and performed)
2024 : PINK BUNNY, NowHere Gallery (New York)
2024：Note from a Sheep I Met at Dawn, Kino Saito Art Center (New York)
2023 : Daydream Tutorial, LaMaMa Experimental Theater (New York)
2022：9000 Paper Balloons (Co-created with Spencer Lott and Aya Ogawa)Japan Society (New York)
2022年Sponsored by HERE, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Nomura Foundation, Jim Henson Foundation
2022 : PINK BUNNY, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
2020：Daydream Tutorial (Work In Progress) as part of Under the Radar Festival / The Public Theater (New York)
2018 : Daydream Tutorial (Work in progress) as part of Jamp Start Program/ LaMaMa Experimental Theater (New York)
2017：On the Other Side of the Fence, Dixon Place (New York)
2016：PINK BUNNY, Japan Society (New York)
2015：No Need for a Night Light on a Light Night Like Tonight, La MaMa Experimental Theater Club (New York)
2014：PINK BUNNY, St. Ann’s Warehouse (New York)
2014：Rainbow Transistor, Hot Wood Art (New York)
2014：Music and Art, collaboration with musicians Tai Ishikawa and Hirona Amamiya,
Blue Building (New York)
2013：Daydream Anthology, St. Ann’s Warehouse (New York)
Solo Exhibitions
2024: “PINK BUNNY”, NowHere Gallery (New York)
2024: “Note from a Sheep I Met at Dawn”, Kino Saito Art Center (New York)
2021: “Daydreaming Monologist”, presented by Visionally Art Collective (Online)
2012: “My Neighbor Always Pretends Not to be Home”, Pratt Studio Gallery (New York)
Group Exhibitions
2023: “DREAMS”, SuperRare (Online)
2022: “2022 AAME Awardees Exhibition”, J-Collabo (New York)
2022: “2022 Annual Art Members Exhibition”, J-Collabo (New York)
2021: “Drifting Off in a Bathtub, Waking Up in a Water Tank”, HERE Art Center (New York)
2021: “Puppets of New York”, The Clemente (New York)
2021: “Candied Daydream”, Sour Mouse (New York)
2021: “Finding Sanctuary”, Online
2018: “Four and Twenty Black Birds”, Jamestown Arts Center (Rhode Island)
2017: “In Time / Out Of Place”, Parasol Project (New York)
2017: “Unwritten Stories”, HERE Art Center (New York)
2015: “No Parking” Ca’ d’ Oro Gallery(New York)
2015: “Show #25” Field Project (Online)
2015: “Without A Safety Net” Weill Corell Community Clinic (New York)
2014: “Grab Bag”Trestle Projects (New York)
2014: “Kaleidoscope2”Space 776 (New York)
2014: “To See, or Not to be Seen” Hot Wood Arts (New York)
2014: “Kaleidoscope” Space 776 (New York)
2014: “Ambush Market Show” Brooklyn Flea (New York)
2013: “Winter Salon Show” Space 776 (New York)
2013: “ NURTUREart Benefit” Bernarducci Meisel Gallery (New York)
2013: “11th TIS Illustration Competition Winners Exhibition” Gallery 5610 (Tokyo)
2013: “Reconstruction 1” Gallery HANA (Tokyo)
2011:” No Trend” Stuben South Gallery (New York)
2011: “Welcome Show” Stuben South Gallery (New York)
2011: “The Pratt Harlem Project “ 228 Fredrick Douglass Blvd (New York)
Film/Video (written, directed, and performed)
2021：9000 Paper Balloons (Co-created with Spencer Lott and Aya Ogawa)
21年：Live-streamed November–December 2021
21年：Sponsored by HERE, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Nomura Foundation, Jim Henson Foundation
Animation / Music Videos
2022 : Animation for window display created by Piehole
2022：Music Video “Lisboa” by Florent Ghys
2022：Animation for Auc Art (online gallery)
2021 : Music Video "Canon No.3" by Molly Herron
2020：Music Video “Flying Hospital” by Yoshinori Aoki
2020：Music Video “Brilliant New Idea” by Elena Moon Park
2019：Music Video “Diu Diu Deng” by Elena Moon Park
2018：Music Video“Push Push Push” by The Sharp Shadows
2017：Music Video “Barren Grove” by Matt Pless
2016：Music Video “YOUR SONG” by Zachary Murdock
Collages / Drawings / Paintings / Illustrations / Sculptures / Installations
Sculptures / Installations