KOKO SHIMIZU
Hello! My name is KOKO.
I was born on January 15, 2008.
I'm a Capricorn.
I love art since when I was little. I've been painting a lot of artwork from then. I like to paint about "mother nature"; like life, Earth, heart, love, and people.
I was born with a disease. So I started expressing the things we should value through art.
I'd be happy if I could share what I feel through my art with you!
KOKO SHIMIZU Biography
2008 Born in Tokyo. Underwent open spina bifida closure surgery
2009 Began creating artwork
2009 Diagnosed with syringomyelia; underwent VP shunt surgery and skin reconstruction surgery
2016 Awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Tagboat Independent Exhibition
2017 Underwent laparoscopic surgery for appendicitis and peritonitis
2017 Won an award and special recognition in the Space Contest organized by The Planetary Society of Japan
2017 Nominated for three works at the Shibuya Art Festival 2017
2017 Received the Miwa Komatsu Award at the Shibuya Art Festival 2017
2017 Participated in the award-winners' exhibition at Bunkamura Wall Gallery during the Shibuya Art Festival 2017
2018 Launched the nationwide pediatric ward playroom support project *“A Gift for Pediatric Wards”*
2018 Created a picture book for the *“A Gift for Pediatric Wards”* project
2018 Exhibited artwork at The HIVE Gallery in Los Angeles
2018 Participated in Art Walk Los Angeles 2018
2018 Performed with the Japanese harp (*koto*) in Los Angeles
2018 Exhibited drawings at The HIVE Gallery in Los Angeles
2018 Received the Hiroko Ishinabe Prize at the Tagboat Independent Exhibition
2019 Organized a pediatric ward playroom support project at Kyoto University Hospital
2019 Conducted a support project at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
2019 Held a solo exhibition at Gallery 30 South in Los Angeles
2019 Underwent tethered cord release surgery
2020 Designed the PR illustration for the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons
2020 Received a letter of appreciation from the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons
2020 Presented the artwork *“Abiogenesis”* to Dr. Atsuyuki Yamataka, Professor of Pediatric Surgery at Juntendo
University, during the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons
2022 Created the works *“Aortic Disconnection”* and *“Intestinal Mesenteric Hernia”* for KOKO ART SCHEMA
2022 Performed as a guest artist with the *koto* at the Polo Yazaki Guitar Concert held at the World Heritage Site
Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto
2022 Held a solo exhibition titled *“Medicine and Me”* at the 126th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pediatric Society
2023 Presented the artwork *“To the Light”* to Dr. Toshiaki Shimizu, Professor of Pediatrics at Juntendo University,
during the 126th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pediatric Society
2023 Collaborated with the World Heritage Site Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto on the project *“Passing the Medical Baton
Across a Millennium”*
2023 Held the painting exhibition *“Pulse of Life”* at the White and Black Drawing Rooms within the renowned gardens
of Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto
2024 Designed artwork for the *“1st Children's Omuro Grand Festival”* at Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto
2024 Released the video work *“Pulse of Life”*
2024 Held a solo exhibition at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Spina Bifida Research Society
2024 Received a letter of appreciation from the 41st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Spina Bifida Research Society
2024 Presented the artwork *“The Cerebral Cortex and Neurons - My Infinite Possibilities”* to Dr. Nobuhito Morota,
Neurosurgeon at Kitasato University Hospital, during the 41st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Spina Bifida m
Research Society
2024 Started blood patch treatment due to the onset of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak syndrome.