Kumi Hiroi is a Japanese artist based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her work explores the diversity of imagery associated with language, such as "images evoked by words" and "words evoked by images." She is particularly interested in the biases, preconceptions, prejudices, and discrimination inherent in these diverse interpretations.

In recent years she has been investigating the geographical, historical and economic contexts of iconic images that exist within the relationship between nature and humans. She conducts research that combines literature reviews, interviews, and fieldwork, with the process itself becoming the language of her work. She expresses her findings by integrating various media—such as text, photography, video, textiles, and glass.

By blending research and imagination, she creates works that carefully depict the complex layers of her subjects and critique the structures underlying them.


contact: kumi.hiroi[at]gmail.com

studio: WG-plein 1G  1054 RA Amsterdam


EDUCATION

2005 – 2008 BA Graphic Design, Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam, NL

2003 Orientation course, Central Saint Martins, UK

1999 – 2002 BA Economic, Saitama University, Saitama, JP



SOLO/DUO EXHIBITION

2024 Tulip Mania 2, Orangerie, Zone2Source, Amsterdam, NL

2022 What We See and What We Tell, Hachinohe Book Center & Hachinohe Art Museum, Hachinohe, JP

2022 Tulip Mania, Bradwolff Projects, Amsterdam, NL

2019 Parel Silhouet, IMA Gallery, Tokyo, JP

2019 Parel Silhouet, Nagasaki Prefectural Museum, Nagasaki, JP

2019 Parel Silhouet, Nagasaki Holland Village, Nagasaki, JP

2017 Remodeling, Maison/ by Teruhiro Yanagihara, Osaka, JP

2017 Remodeling, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam, NL



GROUP EXHIBITION

2021 Anneke Hymmen & Kumi Hiroi, Tokuko Ushioda, Mari Katayama, Maiko Haruki, Mayumi Hosokura, and Your Perspectives, Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, JP

2018 Master of Change, State of Fashion, Arnhem, NL

2018 Master of Change, State of Fashion, B&BB, Berlin, DE


GRANT
2024 Tulip Mania 2, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK), Mondriaan Fund
2023 Tulip Mania 2, the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union 

2022 What we See and What we Tell, Hachinohe Book Center, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tokyo, Dutch Creative Industry Fund

2021 Tulip Mania, Stichting Stokroos, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK)

2020 Remodeling Shiseido Gallery edition, Dutch Creative Industry Fund

2018 Parel Shilhouet, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tokyo, Dutch Creative Industry Fund

2018 Ping Pong, Dutch Litrature Foundation, Dutch Creative Industry Fund


PRESENTATION / WORKSHOP / LECTURE
2023 Fundamentalz, Tokyo University, Tokyo, JP
2022 What We See and What We Tell, Hachinohe Art Museum, Hachinohe, JP
2021 Remodeling, Shiseido Gallery Edition, Online
2019 Ping Pong, Spring House, Amsterdam, NL
2018 Remodeling, Kunstuitleen Rotterdam, Rotterdam, NL
2018 Remodeling, State of Fashion, Arnhem, NL

AiR
2024 

Orangerie, Zone2Source, Amsterdam, NL


2024 Fundaziun Nairs, Scuol-tarasp, CH

PUBLICATION

2022 Someone is always watching

2021 Anneke Hymmen & Kumi Hiroi, Tokuko Ushioda, Mari Katayama, Maiko Haruki, Mayumi Hosokura, and Your Perspectives

2017 Remodeling