Shiro Masuyama was born in Tokyo in 1971. He holds a Masters in Architecture from Meiji University, Japan. Masuyama lived in Berlin, Germany from 2004 for 6 Years. Since 2010 he has been based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Masuyama has had numerous solo exhibitions world wide including ‘Brexit Sausages’, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Belfast (2022);‘Coexistence’, Siamsa Tire – National Folk Theatre of Ireland, Tralee, Ireland (2019); ‘Self-Sufficient Life’, Kyoto-ba, Kyoto, Japan (2019); ‘Attracting My Neighbors’, Chiang Rai Art Museum, Thailand (2017).

‘Self-Sufficient Life’, Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown (2015); “Intervention”, Water and Sculpture Hills Ichihara Museum, Chiba, Japan (2010).

Numerous group exhibitions include ‘BIENALSUR 2021 – The State of Things’, MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art Rosario, Argentina (2021); ‘Sapporo International Art Festival 2020 : Of Roots and Clouds’’, Sapporo, Japan (Cancelled due to COVID-19 / 2020); ‘Noise of Silence : Japanese Art Now’, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast (2019); ‘Wandering Seeds’, National Museum of Prehistory, Tatung, Taiwan (2018); ‘Aichi Triennale 2013 : Awakening’, Nagoya, Japan (2013). He   has completed public art commissions such as ‘Five Apples’, Ballymena, Northern Ireland (2015). Masuyama has received numerous awards including Contemporary Art Research Grant, Toshiaki Ogasawara Memorial Foundation (2023); Chris Ledger Legacy Awards, University of Atypical, Northern Ireland (2021); Grand Prix (Grand Prize), ‘The 7th 500m Museum Award’, Sapporo, Japan (2019); Long term fellowship, Japan Foundation Asia Center, Japan (2017-2018); Individual Artist’s Award, Derry-Londonderry City of Culture (2013); The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York, USA (2009-2010); Japanese Government Oversea Program for Artists, Japan (2004-2005); Pola Art Foundation, Japan (2002- 2003).

STATEMENT

I am originally from Japan. I have studied architecture to Masters’ level and my art projects have been influenced by this and mainly manifest as site-specific architectural interventions. Using my architectural background and my Japanese identity, I make projects which fundamentally connect people and society – so – called socially engaged art.

I believe interaction with people often brings unexpected results. It’s one of the most important processes and components in completing an artwork.

My artistic practice has mainly developed through participating in a diverse range of artist residencies worldwide including Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown (2014-2015); MMCA – National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea, The National Art Studio Goyang, Korea (2008); Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany (2004-2005) and ISCP – International Studio and Curatorial Programme, New York, USA (2002-2003).

Following international residencies in the IMMA – Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin in 2006 and Flax Art Studios in 2009, I moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I have been based ever since.

My work ranges from performance to sculpture, installation, photography and video. As an artist from Japan who has made their home in Northern Ireland, I am in a unique position to question how identity can be influenced by the dominant political forces surrounding us.

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