Étude de fleurs sur assiette n°1 (2022)
Illustration for «Anna hors-saison» a short story by Vidya Narine - Sève n°1 (2022)
Numéro TOKYO 2021 Horoscope
See the Project ︎︎︎
Get in touch
hello@kaorimitsushima.com
Instagram
Service
Illustration and hand lettering for editorial, film production, advertising, product design, private events (wedding, birth announcement, etc.)
Original Work Sales & Portrait Commission
Most of her works are hand drawn and originals are available for purchase. Please contact hello@kaorimitsushima.com for a list of available works or any other inquiries, including ordering portraits.
hello@kaorimitsushima.com
Service
Illustration and hand lettering for editorial, film production, advertising, product design, private events (wedding, birth announcement, etc.)
Original Work Sales & Portrait Commission
Most of her works are hand drawn and originals are available for purchase. Please contact hello@kaorimitsushima.com for a list of available works or any other inquiries, including ordering portraits.
About
Kaori Mitsushima is a Japanese illustrator currently based in Marseille, France. After studying Japanese painting in Tokyo, where she was born and raised, Kaori left Japan to get outside her comfort zone: Her first stop, Berlin, made her realize she had neither the motivation nor the talent for making experimental music, her previous passion. Kaori then moved to New York City, where she began illustrating for poets and making drawings of humanoid cats. After several road trips across the USA, one of which included a four day visit to a Lakota reservation, celebrating Sundance, the holiest of Native American rituals, Kaori landed back in Europe. Prague was her home for eight years starting in 2014, giving her a base to explore much of Europe. During this time, Kaori participated in solo and group exhibitions in Berlin, Paris, Prague and London. In 2023, she moved to Marseille where she lives with her French partner. She currently works as a freelance illustrator and also sells her original work to clients primarily in Europe, Japan, and the United States.
Clients Include
Numéro Tokyo (Fusosha/Numéro Presse), GINZA (Magazine House), Bunka Fashion College, Prague Superguide (2022-2023 Edition), Centre français de recherche en sciences sociales (CEFRES), Goethe-Institut Prague (VRwandlung exhibition) and more.
Languages
• Japanese (native)
• English (fluent)
• French (intermediate)
Kaori Mitsushima is a Japanese illustrator currently based in Marseille, France. After studying Japanese painting in Tokyo, where she was born and raised, Kaori left Japan to get outside her comfort zone: Her first stop, Berlin, made her realize she had neither the motivation nor the talent for making experimental music, her previous passion. Kaori then moved to New York City, where she began illustrating for poets and making drawings of humanoid cats. After several road trips across the USA, one of which included a four day visit to a Lakota reservation, celebrating Sundance, the holiest of Native American rituals, Kaori landed back in Europe. Prague was her home for eight years starting in 2014, giving her a base to explore much of Europe. During this time, Kaori participated in solo and group exhibitions in Berlin, Paris, Prague and London. In 2023, she moved to Marseille where she lives with her French partner. She currently works as a freelance illustrator and also sells her original work to clients primarily in Europe, Japan, and the United States.
Clients Include
Numéro Tokyo (Fusosha/Numéro Presse), GINZA (Magazine House), Bunka Fashion College, Prague Superguide (2022-2023 Edition), Centre français de recherche en sciences sociales (CEFRES), Goethe-Institut Prague (VRwandlung exhibition) and more.
Languages
• Japanese (native)
• English (fluent)
• French (intermediate)
Selected Works
2022
Sève, illustration for «Anna hors-saison» a short story by Vidya Narine in the first issue of the French literary magazine, Client: Sève Éditions, Paris, France - editorial
2022
Prague Superguide 6, book cover and spot illustrations for the 6th edition of Prague Superguide, an alternative guidebook of the Czech capital created by local creatives. Client: Mira Vales, Design: Marius Corradini, Prague, Czech Republic - editorial
2022 / 2019 / 2017 / 2016
Bunka Fashion Summer, Client: Bunka Fashion College, Design: Ko Ogura/Graffic Factor, Tokyo, Japan - advertising/promotion
2022
Vous n'aurez pas ma haine (You Will Not Have My Hate), a feature film by Kilian Riedhof, Client: Komplizen Film, Production Design: Sebastian Soukup, Berlin, Germany - production design
2021
CEFRES 30th Anniversary, illustrations, visual identity, 2D animation for two parts of the 30th anniversary conference of the French research center in humanities and social sciences. Client: CEFRES, Prague, Czech Republic - advertising/promotion
2021
Bench Made, spot illustrations for a Japanese artisanal shoemaker’s website. Client: Bench Made (Yukiko Okawa), Design: Ko Ogura/Graffic Factor, Tokyo, Japan - web design
2021
Daisy with Rider, illustrations, 2D animations, hand lettering, and visual identity for a production company crafting experiences for extended realities (VR, AR). Client: Daisy with Rider Productions, s.r.o, Prague, Czech Republic - visual identity, web design
2021
GINZA, spot illustrations and hand lettering for the Japanese fashion magazine’s featured article in March 2021 issue, Client: Magazine House, Tokyo, Japan - editorial
2020
Numéro Tokyo, illustrations and hand lettering for the Japanese fashion magazine’s featured article in January/February 2021 issue, Client: Fusosha, Tokyo, Japan - editorial
2020
Madame Croissant, cover art for the second EP « Lyrical Dance », Client & Art Direction: Nozomu Sato, Tokyo, Japan - advertising/promotion
2019
My Zoe, a feature film by Julie Delpy, Client: MY ZOE Producktion UG, Production Design: Sebastian Soukup, Berlin, Germany - production design
2019
Beyond 1989, international conference, Client: CEFRES - Centre français de recherche en science sociales, Design: Jana Krchova, Prague, Czech Republic - advertising/promotion
2018
AMB100Ka, Client: Ambidex, Art Direction & Design: Miki Kadokura, Tokyo, Japan - advertising/promotion
2018
VRwandlung, virtual reality adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Client & Art Direction: Goethe-Institut Prague and Mika Johnson, Prague, Czech Republic - advertising/promotion, production design
2018
Madame Croissant, cover art for the debut EP « Salut »
, Client & Art Direction: Nozomu Sato, Tokyo, Japan - advertising/promotion
2018
Our Green Gap, collaborative dossier, Client: BESIDE magazine, Montreal, Canada - editorial
Selected Interviews & Press
2023
We Cats - Cat Thinkers, February 2023, Japan
2020
Numéro Tokyo, April 2020, Japan
2019
Land of the Rising Cat, September 2019, Prestel Publishing, UK, USA
2019
Marianne Bydleni, February 2020, Czech Republic
2015
A Journey Through Monochrome Illustrations, August 2015, BNN inc., Japan
2014
Printed Matter, January 2014, USA
2012
Urban Outfitters, November & February 2012, USA
Selected Exhibitions, Events & Art Book Fairs
2022
Kobe Matsuri, organized by the Kobe-Marseille Sister City Association MARSEKOBE, Coco Velten, Marseille, France
Participation in children's art workshop & group exhibition
2019
La recette de l’amour fou: textile exhibition, Bento Cococo, Paris, France *Solo exhibition
2019
Land of the Rising Cat, Sway Gallery London, London, UK
Book launch & group exhibition
2019
Drawing Busan/Busan Art Book Fair 2019, Busan, South Korea
2018
Between Me and You, Sowale, Berlin, Germany *Solo exhibition
2016
Memory of Strawberry Shortcakes, Ye’s kafe/studio, Prague, Czech Republic *Solo exhibition
2014
Pictoplasma Berlin Conference & Festival, Berlin, Germany *Selected for "Character Selfies”
2014
Collectif Blanc/SPÉCIAL ILLUSTRATION, Atelier b, Librairie Formats, Montréal, Canada
2014
Kotoriten 3, CLASKA Gallery & Shop “DO” Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo, Japan
2013
Brooklyn Zine Fest, Public Assembly, New York City, USA
2012
FANZINES! Festival, Médiathèque Marguerite Duras, Paris, France