COOK (Graffiti artist)
COOK is an Osaka-based artist with a strong background in graffiti. Applying his graffiti skills, he expresses his unique perspective of the world through his artworks with narratives and his original characters.
 
In the late 90s, he started his career as a graffiti writer in his hometown of Osaka. And shortly after that, he moved to the United States alone. He acquired graffiti and developed his techniques in Los Angeles while communicating with local graffiti writers. He has been engaging in the creative field as a graffiti-based artist after moving back to Osaka, Japan. Meanwhile, he has worked collaboratively in fields varying from fashion and music to anime. His works include providing artworks with an apparel brand and with national and international musicians for their music albums and videos. Around 2010, his interaction with SLICK (OG SLICK), a legendary graffiti writer based in Los Angeles, had started, and he has accomplished many projects with SLICK since then. Placed on top of the list is “DISSIZIT!” which is SLICK’s original brand.
 
COOK held his first solo exhibition in 2015 in Los Angeles and a traveling solo exhibition in 2021 in 6 major cities in Japan. In August 2023, he successfully held his first solo exhibition in Europe, “THE CHASE,” at StolenSpace Gallery in London. He also participates in many group exhibitions at home and abroad. His other creative pursuit is to paint murals, and he has produced many providing various stores, brands, companies, and local governments with his works. Examples include the art installation for Louis Vuitton Shibuya Men’s Store in 2021 and the murals inspired by the streets of New York painted in Universal Studios Japan in 2023. Furthermore, he is extending his activities overseas by participating in the events such as the Hawaiian street art project “POW! WOW!” and Mural Festival in Taiwan.