NEW YORK.-Lehmann Maupin Gallery will present the first New York solo exhibition of the artist Rei Sato. Her seemingly childlike approach to painting and drawing provides an insight into feminine identity and perspective in Japan through the usage of simple figurative forms, bold compositions and expressive color.

For this exhibition, Rei Sato will present a new series of paintings, drawings and photographs influenced by ‘cuteness’ or what is known in Japan as ‘kawaii.’ Sato’s process begins with taking chance photographs of the ordinary like a parked car, a grassy plain along the highway or a cracked sidewalk. These are then printed onto a canvas and Sato superimposes images of children, butterflies and furry animals into the scenery with watercolor and line drawing. Sato communicates a form of escapism by removing the everyday through this series of manipulations.

Rei Sato currently lives and works in Tokyo. She was discovered by Takashi Murakami at GEISAI#1 event in 2002 and since has been included in exhibitions such as Coloriage at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris, Tokyo Girls Bravo 2 at NADiff in Tokyo, Weather Report at Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno in Spain and in 2008 she had a solo exhibition at the Kaikai Kiki Gallery in Tokyo.