Born and raised in Japan, Sonomi Kobayashi, is a New York based painter and printmaker who is interested in science, physics, stars, nature, and spirituality.
Her work is symbolic and abstract. Her recent oil paintings are based on images that she saw during her meditation. She also paints symbolic shapes that she finds attractive in nature. Her ink drawings and printmaking works are organic and abstract. She likes to mix traditional and contemporary techniques and experiment with materials, color, and shapes.
Her work has been exhibited in the United States, Japan, and Europe, including Williamsburg Art & Historical Center (NYC), Lesley Heller Workspace (NYC), Galerie ARTAe, (Leipzig Germany), Galerie La (Ginza, Tokyo, Japan), and will be shown at The National Art Center Museum (Tokyo) in 2018. She received Will Barnet Grant in Printmaking in 2013, participated in residencies at MASS MoCA, Vermont Studio Center, ASL Vytlacil Campus, and Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre in France. Her work was purchased and became part of the permanent collection of Yuko Nii Foundation of Williamsburg Art and Historical Center in 2014. She now works out of her studio in Bushwick Brooklyn, NY and exhibits frequently in the United States, Japan, and Europe. She received studio certificate in painting from The Art Students League of New York, and also studied sculpture and printmaking there.
Her work is symbolic and abstract. Her recent oil paintings are based on images that she saw during her meditation. She also paints symbolic shapes that she finds attractive in nature. Her ink drawings and printmaking works are organic and abstract. She likes to mix traditional and contemporary techniques and experiment with materials, color, and shapes.
Her work has been exhibited in the United States, Japan, and Europe, including Williamsburg Art & Historical Center (NYC), Lesley Heller Workspace (NYC), Galerie ARTAe, (Leipzig Germany), Galerie La (Ginza, Tokyo, Japan), and will be shown at The National Art Center Museum (Tokyo) in 2018. She received Will Barnet Grant in Printmaking in 2013, participated in residencies at MASS MoCA, Vermont Studio Center, ASL Vytlacil Campus, and Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre in France. Her work was purchased and became part of the permanent collection of Yuko Nii Foundation of Williamsburg Art and Historical Center in 2014. She now works out of her studio in Bushwick Brooklyn, NY and exhibits frequently in the United States, Japan, and Europe. She received studio certificate in painting from The Art Students League of New York, and also studied sculpture and printmaking there.
CV
SOLO and TWO PERSONS EXHIBITIONS
2017 Galerie La, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan (Solo)
2016 Showroom der Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig, Germany, "Shirushi -Signs and Symbols" (Solo)
2014 Gallery 494, Tokyo, Japan (Solo)
2013 Fire House, Brooklyn, NY, "Flow" (Solo)
Showroom Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig, Germany, "Paintings and Work on Paper" (Solo)
BOE Winery Tasting Room, Brooklyn, NY, Selected for the BOE Winery's 2010 Chardonnay label and Solo Exhibition (Solo)
2012 Makari Fine Art, New York, NY, “Recent Work - Etching and Chine-Colle Prints -” (Solo)
2011 ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Kontinuum (Continuum), Sonomi Kobayashi and Bettina Lüdicke”
2009 Makari Fine Art, New York, NY “Balance”, (Solo)
2008 ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Sonomi Kobayashi / Udo Klenner, “Ex oriente lux (the Light Comes from the East)”
Ouchi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Connection”, (Solo)
2007 Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre Gallery, Sainte Colombe, France, "Human, Nature, Connection, Thoughts, Tension, Balance, Harmony, and Synchronicity" (Solo)
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 The National Art Center Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2017 PS1, Queens, NY, "Artist Book Fair"
Gallery Petite, Brooklyn, NY, "Alien God", Curated by Tyrome Tripoli
Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, "JART -Japanese Emerging Artists Exhibition", Curated by Hiro Shiraishi
Printed Matter and Kinokuniya Book Store, New York, NY, "Japanese Young Artists' Books Fair"
Makers Mill, North Adams, MA, "MASS MoCA Residents Open Studios"
2016 XASociety Gallery, New York, NY, "Pre Basel Art Exhibition", Curated by Aurora Crowley
USAGI NY, Brooklyn, NY, "AccessArt"
Lorimoto, Brooklyn, NY, "Open Call"
Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
BLAM Brooklyn, NY, "Abstract Thought", Curated by Paul Catalanotto
Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, "10 year Anniversary Group Exhibition"
2015 Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY, “Holiday Show”
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York, NY, "Grant Winner's Exhibition"
The Factory, LIC, NY, "Shangri-la", Curated by John Baber and Miguel Luciano
BOS2015, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
skrl art prjct, New York, NY, "Flat File Show"
2014 Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig Germany, “Color, Lacquer, Oil, and Concrete”
Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Wonderland”
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, “Over the Edge: Paperworks Unbound”
Part 1: Juried by Claire Gilman, Curator at the Drawing Center, Part 2: Curated by Yuko Nii
Gitana Rosa Gallery Chelsea, New York, NY, “Juicy”
BOS2014, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2013 Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn NY, "THE EDITIONS"
Japanese Consulate, New York, NY, "MIRAI"
C.A.R. Art fair, Essen Germany, Galerie ARTAe
Walter Wickiser Gallery, New York, NY, "Three Artists | Three Reflections"
EMOA Space Chelsea, New York, NY
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York, NY, "Scholarship Winner's Exhibition"
BOS2013, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2012 Vytlacil Artists-in-Residence Open Studios, Sparkill, NY
Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “ The Others”
GO Brooklyn Open Studios by Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
BOS2012, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Gallery Shoshin-Kan, Nagano, Japan, “art for happiness”
Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, New York, NY, “Decorator Show House”
2011 Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY, “Holiday Salon Show”
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Blattbildung #2 (Sheet Forming #2)”
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
artMRKT Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
BOS2011, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2010 Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Ars Graphis”
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Blattbildung - Grafik und Zeichnung (Sheet Forming - Diagram and Drawing)”
OIL SLICK, Brooklyn, NY, Curator: Bruno Perillo and Vanessa Liberati
AAF, Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY, with Gitana Rosa Gallery
TEASE Art Fair, Cologne, Germany, Curator: Sabine Aichele-Elsner, Galerie ARTAe
2009 Miami Verge Art Fair, Miami, FL, with Gitana Rosa Gallery
Yatsuo Slow Art Show, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan
Warehouse 9, Copenhagen, Denmark, “POP OUT : Copenhagen”, Danish German Art Week
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, "Wintermärchen (Winter fairy tale)", Curator: Sabine Aichele- Elsner
Priska Juschka Fine Art, New York, NY, “Benefit for Nicole: A Postcard show”
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, The Armory Arts Week Open Studios
2008 Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Deutscher Frühherbst (German early autumn)”
2007 Crane Street Studios, LIC, NY, "Plaque Sabbath", Studio Benefit Exhibition,
Co-organizer and Exhibiter
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
2006 Sablier de Verrier, Nagoya, Japan, “Hearts of New York Vol. 1. Abstract Artists from New York” Curator: Sumi Ieda-Clarke
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
2005 Concepto Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Flower Show”, Curator: Kiyoshi Ike
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios
2004 OMORI Bellport Atrium, Tokyo, Japan, Juried French-Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition
Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan, Design Festa
Walter Wickiser Gallery, Soho, NY, NY, “Color & Life”, Curator: Masumi Doeda
AAWAA Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “In the Midst of Things”, Curator: Yang Kong
chashama 217, New York, NY, Motion Sculpture Movement Installation “Performance, sound and visual art”
Michael Perez Gallery, New York, NY, PS 234 Benefit Art Auction
lesx Gallery, New York, NY, “HOWL!” Festival of East Village Arts
2003 Limner Gallery, New York, NY, Juried exhibition
Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY, “Accumulative Efforts” Curator: Yang Kong
2002 Grist Mill Gallery, Bronx, NY, “Space Dust” Curator: Tatusya Nakatani
Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY, “Leaps and Bounds”, Curator: Yang Kong
Design Festa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2017 MASS MoCA Studio Residency, North Adams, MA
2013 Will Barnet Grant in Printmaking, New York, NY
2012 Ruth Katzman Scholarship and Residency, The Vytlacil Campus of The Art Students League of New York, Sparkill, NY
Joseph Bartnikowski Scholarship, The Art Students League of New York, NY
2010 VSC Grant and Residency, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont
2009 Residency and Fellowship, Yatsuo Slow Art A.I.R, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan
2007 Residency, Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre, Sainte Colombe, France
2004 Honorable Mention, Salon du Blanc Art Association, Tokyo, Japan
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
2014 Yuko Nii Foundation of Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
WORKSHOPS AND TEACHING
2013-Present Seeds of The League, Children's after school program, New York City Park and Recreation, Hansborough Center, New York, NY
2015 Collagraph Workshop for Adults, New York City Park and Recreation, Brownsville Center, Brooklyn, NY
2009 Yatsuo Slow Art Workshop, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan, Workshops by contemporary artists for Kashio Elementary School Students
2017 Galerie La, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan (Solo)
2016 Showroom der Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig, Germany, "Shirushi -Signs and Symbols" (Solo)
2014 Gallery 494, Tokyo, Japan (Solo)
2013 Fire House, Brooklyn, NY, "Flow" (Solo)
Showroom Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig, Germany, "Paintings and Work on Paper" (Solo)
BOE Winery Tasting Room, Brooklyn, NY, Selected for the BOE Winery's 2010 Chardonnay label and Solo Exhibition (Solo)
2012 Makari Fine Art, New York, NY, “Recent Work - Etching and Chine-Colle Prints -” (Solo)
2011 ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Kontinuum (Continuum), Sonomi Kobayashi and Bettina Lüdicke”
2009 Makari Fine Art, New York, NY “Balance”, (Solo)
2008 ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Sonomi Kobayashi / Udo Klenner, “Ex oriente lux (the Light Comes from the East)”
Ouchi Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Connection”, (Solo)
2007 Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre Gallery, Sainte Colombe, France, "Human, Nature, Connection, Thoughts, Tension, Balance, Harmony, and Synchronicity" (Solo)
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 The National Art Center Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2017 PS1, Queens, NY, "Artist Book Fair"
Gallery Petite, Brooklyn, NY, "Alien God", Curated by Tyrome Tripoli
Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, "JART -Japanese Emerging Artists Exhibition", Curated by Hiro Shiraishi
Printed Matter and Kinokuniya Book Store, New York, NY, "Japanese Young Artists' Books Fair"
Makers Mill, North Adams, MA, "MASS MoCA Residents Open Studios"
2016 XASociety Gallery, New York, NY, "Pre Basel Art Exhibition", Curated by Aurora Crowley
USAGI NY, Brooklyn, NY, "AccessArt"
Lorimoto, Brooklyn, NY, "Open Call"
Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
BLAM Brooklyn, NY, "Abstract Thought", Curated by Paul Catalanotto
Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, "10 year Anniversary Group Exhibition"
2015 Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY, “Holiday Show”
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York, NY, "Grant Winner's Exhibition"
The Factory, LIC, NY, "Shangri-la", Curated by John Baber and Miguel Luciano
BOS2015, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
skrl art prjct, New York, NY, "Flat File Show"
2014 Galerie ARTAe, Leipzig Germany, “Color, Lacquer, Oil, and Concrete”
Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Wonderland”
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, “Over the Edge: Paperworks Unbound”
Part 1: Juried by Claire Gilman, Curator at the Drawing Center, Part 2: Curated by Yuko Nii
Gitana Rosa Gallery Chelsea, New York, NY, “Juicy”
BOS2014, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2013 Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn NY, "THE EDITIONS"
Japanese Consulate, New York, NY, "MIRAI"
C.A.R. Art fair, Essen Germany, Galerie ARTAe
Walter Wickiser Gallery, New York, NY, "Three Artists | Three Reflections"
EMOA Space Chelsea, New York, NY
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York, NY, "Scholarship Winner's Exhibition"
BOS2013, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2012 Vytlacil Artists-in-Residence Open Studios, Sparkill, NY
Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “ The Others”
GO Brooklyn Open Studios by Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
BOS2012, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Gallery Shoshin-Kan, Nagano, Japan, “art for happiness”
Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, New York, NY, “Decorator Show House”
2011 Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY, “Holiday Salon Show”
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Blattbildung #2 (Sheet Forming #2)”
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
artMRKT Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
BOS2011, Arts in Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2010 Gitana Rosa Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Ars Graphis”
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Blattbildung - Grafik und Zeichnung (Sheet Forming - Diagram and Drawing)”
OIL SLICK, Brooklyn, NY, Curator: Bruno Perillo and Vanessa Liberati
AAF, Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY, with Gitana Rosa Gallery
TEASE Art Fair, Cologne, Germany, Curator: Sabine Aichele-Elsner, Galerie ARTAe
2009 Miami Verge Art Fair, Miami, FL, with Gitana Rosa Gallery
Yatsuo Slow Art Show, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan
Warehouse 9, Copenhagen, Denmark, “POP OUT : Copenhagen”, Danish German Art Week
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, "Wintermärchen (Winter fairy tale)", Curator: Sabine Aichele- Elsner
Priska Juschka Fine Art, New York, NY, “Benefit for Nicole: A Postcard show”
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, The Armory Arts Week Open Studios
2008 Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
ARTAe Galerie & Kunstvermittlung, Leipzig, Germany, “Deutscher Frühherbst (German early autumn)”
2007 Crane Street Studios, LIC, NY, "Plaque Sabbath", Studio Benefit Exhibition,
Co-organizer and Exhibiter
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
2006 Sablier de Verrier, Nagoya, Japan, “Hearts of New York Vol. 1. Abstract Artists from New York” Curator: Sumi Ieda-Clarke
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios, Co-organizer and Exhibiter
2005 Concepto Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “Flower Show”, Curator: Kiyoshi Ike
Crane Street Studios, Long Island City, NY, Open Studios
2004 OMORI Bellport Atrium, Tokyo, Japan, Juried French-Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition
Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan, Design Festa
Walter Wickiser Gallery, Soho, NY, NY, “Color & Life”, Curator: Masumi Doeda
AAWAA Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, “In the Midst of Things”, Curator: Yang Kong
chashama 217, New York, NY, Motion Sculpture Movement Installation “Performance, sound and visual art”
Michael Perez Gallery, New York, NY, PS 234 Benefit Art Auction
lesx Gallery, New York, NY, “HOWL!” Festival of East Village Arts
2003 Limner Gallery, New York, NY, Juried exhibition
Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY, “Accumulative Efforts” Curator: Yang Kong
2002 Grist Mill Gallery, Bronx, NY, “Space Dust” Curator: Tatusya Nakatani
Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY, “Leaps and Bounds”, Curator: Yang Kong
Design Festa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2017 MASS MoCA Studio Residency, North Adams, MA
2013 Will Barnet Grant in Printmaking, New York, NY
2012 Ruth Katzman Scholarship and Residency, The Vytlacil Campus of The Art Students League of New York, Sparkill, NY
Joseph Bartnikowski Scholarship, The Art Students League of New York, NY
2010 VSC Grant and Residency, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont
2009 Residency and Fellowship, Yatsuo Slow Art A.I.R, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan
2007 Residency, Cat'Art Contemporary Art Centre, Sainte Colombe, France
2004 Honorable Mention, Salon du Blanc Art Association, Tokyo, Japan
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
2014 Yuko Nii Foundation of Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
WORKSHOPS AND TEACHING
2013-Present Seeds of The League, Children's after school program, New York City Park and Recreation, Hansborough Center, New York, NY
2015 Collagraph Workshop for Adults, New York City Park and Recreation, Brownsville Center, Brooklyn, NY
2009 Yatsuo Slow Art Workshop, Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan, Workshops by contemporary artists for Kashio Elementary School Students
