Sebastian Masuda

Sebastian Masuda (増田 セバスチャン, Masuda Sebasuchan; born August 7, 1970), is a Japanese artist, art director, and producer of the Harajuku shop 6%DOKIDOKI. Born in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He has been active from 1995 to current day.^[1][2]

Sebastian Masuda
Sebastian Masuda at the 27th Annual Tokyo International Film Festival
Born	(1970-08-07) August 7, 1970 (age 54) Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Occupation(s)	Artist, art director, and producer

He has directed and designed performances for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.^[3][4] He is known as a pioneer of kawaii culture and often referred to as the "king of kawaii"^[5] or "father of kawaii"^[6]

Career

Masuda was born in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in the world of theater and contemporary art, but in 1995, Sebastian opened 6%DOKIDOKI in Ura-Harajuku.^[7][8] Celebrities have visited 6%DOKIDOKI, including Conan O'Brien,^[9] and clothing and accessories have been worn by BLACKPINK, and Nicki Minaj.^[10][4]

He was the art director for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's Pon Pon Pon music video in 2011, which garnered international attention.^[3][11] He designed the Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku,^[12][13] which had been a tourist destination, including visits from celebrities Kim Kardashian,^[14] singer Dua Lipa and Jenny of K-pop’s Blackpink,^[15] Sushidelic in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City,^[16] and "Miracle Gift Parade" to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the opening of Sanrio Puroland.^[17]

In 2014, he began his first solo exhibition Colorful Rebellion -Seventh Nightmare- in New York.^[18]

In 2017, he was appointed as a Cultural Envoy by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and he has lived in the Netherlands while producing artwork, he has traveled to the African continent doing workshops and lectures.^[19] He is a visiting professor for Kyoto University of Art and Design and Yokohama College of Art and Design.^[20] He was also a visiting scholar at the Department of East Asian Studies at NYU^[21]

Solo exhibitions

• 2014「Colorful Rebellion –Seventh nightmare-」(Kianga Ellis Projects, New York February 28, 2014 – March 29, 2014) (Young At Art Museum, Miami July 12, 2014 – January 5, 2015) (Padiglione Visconti, Italy April 14, 2015 – April 19, 2015) (Terrada T-Art Gallery, Tokyo December 18 – 27, 2015) (Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam September 28, 2018 – September 1, 2019)^[22]
• 2015「TRUE COLORS」(T-Art Gallery, Tokyo)^[23]
• 2016 「TRUE COLORS」(Ronin Gallery, New York)^[24]
• 2017 「Point-Rhythm World -Monet's Microcosm- “」(POLA Museum of Art)^[25]
• 2017 「YOUR COLORS」(ROPPONGI HILLS A/D GALLERY)^[26]
• 2019 「FOREVER COLORS」(ROPPONGI HILLS A/D GALLERY)^[27]

Group exhibitions

• December 6, 2014  Time After Time Capsule in Miami^[28]
• May 3, 2015  Time After Time Capsule in NYC / Dag Hammarskjold Plaza^[29][30]
• November 13, 2015 – May 2016  Time After Time Capsule NY Hello Kitty meets Seattle / EMP Museum^[31]
• April 13–16 2016 Time After Time Capsule in Washington, D.C. / Japan Bowl, National Cherry Blossom Festival^[32]
• July 3, 2016  Time After Time Capsule in London / Camden Market North Yard^[33][34]
• July 7–10, 2016   Time After Time Capsule in Paris / Japan Expo^[35]
• July 23–24, 2016    Time After Time Capsule in San Francisco/J-POP SUMMIT^[36]
• November 26, 27, 2016  Time After Time Capsule in Singapore / Anime Festival Asia^[37]
• Nov 1, 2016 – Jan 29, 2017  Time After Time Capsule in Los Angeles / Japanese American National Museum^[38]
• May 14, 2017  Time After Time Capsule in NYC vol.2 / Japan Day at Central Park^[39]
• Oct. 13, 2017 – Ma 18, 2018  Time After Time Capsule in Alaska / ”The Art of Fandom” at Anchorage Museum^[40]
• November 26, 2017   Time After Time Capsule in Cape Town, South Africa / V&A Water Front^[41]
• November 30, 2017  Time After Time Capsule in Luanda, Republic of Angola / Angola National School of Arts
• January 13, 2018   Time After Time Capsule in La Paz, Bolivia / Cinemateca Boliviana^[42]
• January 20, 2018  Time After Time Capsule in Sao Paulo, Brazil / Japan House^[43]
• 2017「The Doremon Exhibition TOKYO 2017」Mori Arts Center Gallery, Tokyo^[44]
• 2019「Gaping Hole Secret」Reborn Art Festival 2019^[45]
• 2020「Primal Pop (Pac-Man Mix)」The Museum of Pac-Man Art, Tokyo^[46]
• 2020「Gaping Hole Secret」Kurkku Fields, Japan^[47]