Makiko Harris (she/her) is a Japanese + American multimedia visual artist working across painting, sculpture, installation,FILM, and sound.
Makiko earned her MA in Contemporary Art Practice from the Royal College of Art in London and her BA in Philosophy and Studio Art from Tufts University in Boston, MA.
Her practice explores contemporary feminism, cultural legacies, desire, and the body. She was a finalist for the Ingram Prize (2024) and has been shortlisted for New Contemporaries (2025). Her work is held in the collection at The Bunker Museum, FL, and in private collections worldwide.
A native of San Francisco, CA, Makiko now lives and works in London, UK. She is represented by Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, with locations in London, Berlin, and Florida, USA.
© Copyright 2025 | All Rights Reserved
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SELECTED CV
b. 1989, lives and works between London, UK and San Francisco, CA
REPRESENTATION
Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery
EDUCATION
2023 | M.A., Royal College of Art, Contemporary Art Practice, London, UK.
2012 - 2019 | Continuing Education, California College of the Arts, Painting, San Francisco, CA
2011 | B.A., Tufts University, Major: Philosophy, Minor: Studio Art, Boston, MA.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Mar 2025 | Salon, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
Feb 2025 | Needle Dance, Makiko Harris Studio x Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery x art’otel Hoxton, London, UK.
Aug 2024 | Lacquered Rebellion, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK.
Jan 2020 | Truth or Consequences, Magnolia Brewing, San Francisco, CA, USA.
DUO + TRIO EXHIBITIONS
Oct 2025 (forthcoming) | Body Archive, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
Aug 2021 | Longevity, Secession Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Sept 2025 (forthcoming) | Wilhelm Hallen 06, Berlin, Germany.
May 2025 | Textil Und Der Weibliche Akt (Fabric: Textile and the Female Nude), Villa Schöningen, Berlin, Germany.
May 2025 | Abenteuer Körper (Magical Body), Kunstverein Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany.
May 2025 | Unseen Histories, Col Gallery x Karl at Levi's Plaza, San Francisco, CA.
Nov 2024 | Ingram Prize Finalist Exhibition, Unit 1 Gallery, London, UK.
Nov 2024 | Confront and Constrain, Ames Yavuz Gallery, Singapore.
Sep 2024 | Kink, Maximillian Wölfgang Gallery, London, UK.
Mar 2024 | Material Instinct, 120710 Gallery, Berkeley, California, USA.
Mar 2024 | Unraveled, Maximillian Wölfgang Gallery, London, UK.
Feb 2024 | PADA 43, PADA Artistic Residency, Barreiro, Portugal.
Nov 2023 | Winter Exhibition, Commonsense Gallery, Vienna, Austria.
Nov 2023 | Mother Tongue: Bodies Beyond Words, Private Gallery Millbank, London, UK.
Oct 2023 | Edge, Gallery G, Hiroshima, Japan.
Jul 2023 | Royal College of Art Degree Show, The Truman Brewery, London, UK.
May 2023 | Texture, Liz Lidgett Gallery, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
Mar 2023 | Beyond Surface Tactile Presence, screening of Circle Burn, Tate Modern, London, UK.
Mar 2023 | Unfolding Traces presented by Pigeon Park, The Hangar Gallery, London, UK.
Aug 2022 | Beyond Repetition, The Old Chickpea Factory, Messejana, Portugal.
May 2022 | A Line Made By Walking, Upper Gulbenkian Gallery, London, UK.
Jul 2021 | A Joy Unexpected, Root Division, San Francisco, California, USA.
ART FAIRS
Apr 2025 | Expo Chicago, via Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Jan 2025 | London Art Fair, via Maximillian Wölfgang Gallery, London, UK.
Jan 2024 | London Art Fair, via Commonsense Gallery, London, UK.
PRIZES, AWARDS, & GRANTS
May 2025 | Shortlist: New Contemporaries 2025, London, UK.
Mar 2025 | Grant Recipient: Tufts University Alumni Professional Development Fund, Medford, MA, USA.
Nov 2024 | Finalist: Ingram Prize 2024, London, UK.
Aug 2023 | Grand Prize Winner: The HIGH Prize for Excellence, HIGH, London, UK.
May 2022 | Grant Recipient: Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, London, UK.
TALKS
Nov 2025 (forthcoming) | Bonhams x The Art of Seeing Magazine, The Rosewood Hotel, Munich, Germany.
Jan 2025 | Encounters Panel at London Art Fair, chaired by Victoria Comstock-Kershaw, Editor-in-Chief of FETCH London, London, UK.
Sept 2024 | Artist Q&A in conversation with Marcelle Joseph, Lacquered Rebellion, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK.
Feb 2024 | Bonhams x The Art of Seeing Magazine, The Rosewood Hotel, Munich, Germany.
Oct 2023 | Edge Artist Talk, Gallery G, Hiroshima, Japan.
RESIDENCIES
Jun 2025 (forthcoming) | Arts Connected Residency, Maxx Royal Bodrum, Bodrum, Turkey.
Feb 2024 | PADA Artistic Residency, Lisbon, Portugal.
Aug 2022 | Buinho Creative Residency, Messejana, Portugal.
Oct 2019 | Art and Soul International Residency, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA.
COLLECTIONS
The Bunker Museum, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Kaiser Permanente, Walnut Creek, California, USA.
SELECTED PRESS
May 2025 | Contents Culture Magazine: Makiko Harris Interview
Feb 2025 | Schön! Magazine: The Poetry Behind Makiko Harris’ Needle Dance
Feb 2025 | Fab UK: The Art of Fate: Artist Makiko Harris on Needle Dance and the Power of Collaboration
Feb 2025 | House of Solo: Makiko Harris and Her Artistic Endeavor
Feb 2025 | Cultural Dose: Beneath the Surface: Artist Makiko Harris on her immersive new exhibition‘Needle Dance’
Feb 2025 | Hinton Magazine: Interview with Makiko Harris, the artist behind the bold underwater film and multimedia exhibition ‘Needle Dance’
Feb 2025 | Londonite: Makiko Harris Brings ‘Needle Dance’ to art’otel Hoxton: A Cinematic Dive into Fate, Feminism, and Connection
Jan 2025 | Mint: Makiko Harris to unveil innovative exhibition Needle Dance
Jan 2025 | Made in Shoreditch Magazine: Underwater Artistry: Makiko Harris Brings “Needle Dance” to Hoxton
Jan 2025 | London Daily News: A bold underwater film and multimedia art exhibition exploring fate, feminism, and the power of connection comes to London
Sept 2024 | Fetch Magazine: Makiko Harris’ Lacquered Rebellion at Kristin Hjellegjerde
Sept 2024 | Hero Magazine: Weekend Combo Exhibition: Lacquered Rebellion
Sept 2024 | Munchies Art Club Magazine: Makiko Harris: Exploring Feminist Identity Through Monumental Art
Sept 2024 | FAD Magazine: Top 5 Art Exhibitions to See in London in September
Aug 2024 | FAD Magazine: Oversized fingernails, giant knitting needles, chains and aluminium stockings
Aug 2024 | Organ Thing: Five Recommended Art Shows – Makiko Harris at Kristin Hjellegjerde
May 2024 | SuboArt Magazine, On Belonging, Empowerment, and the Color Red
Oct 2023 | HIGH, 2023 Prize Winner Makiko Harris
Sep 2023 | Artiq, In Conversation with Makiko Harris
SPECIAL PROJECTS
May 2025 | Designing with Texture: Transforming Workspaces into Experiences, Artiq x Clerkenwell Design Week, London, UK.
Sep 2024 | Akai Ito, Gone Rogue x ME Melia London Hotel, London, UK.
Jan 2024 | Liminal Dreaming, The Drake Hotel x Ninth Editions, Toronto, Canada.
Jan 2024 | Art Mondays, Munthe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Nov 2023 | The Art of Loves, Pandora x Backlash x Artiq, London, UK.
Jul 2023 | Featured Artist, HIGH Everyday Couture, London, UK.
Sep 2021 | 21-22 Season Campaign, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco, CA, USA.