Married to a Japanese spouse, Risa Wada is an emerging Malaysian artist based in Tokyo, Japan. She specialises in contemporary art through the creative application of flat acrylic painting designs. Her fresh, creative talent has started to garner international attention. In 2022, she was invited to showcase at the Personal Structures exhibition organised by European Cultural Centre (ECC) in Venice, held in conjunction with Venice Biennale. After graduating with a fashion design certificate, Risa worked in an investment bank for 18 years. However, she decided that investment banking was not for her and aspired to be the artist that she has always dreamt of since childhood.

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In 2016, Risa started her first Wild Desert Cactus Collection. Risa's initial art inspiration came from her cat Toro as he often stares at cacti for a long time. Wondering how Toro views the world around him, her curiosity about Mother Nature peaked as she began to imagine how the soul or spirit in cacti, plants and trees, or "Anima" (Latin word for "Soul"), remain unknown to humans, as though they are aliens. Toro thus inspired her to view everyday life through a more creative lens, giving rise to the combination of two aspects of life in her works: Mother Nature & Human Emotions. In addition, she looks up to her idols, Yayoi Kusama and Joan Miro, for changing people’s perceptions of contemporary art.

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ART EDUCATION

2022   Modern Art Theory through Practice Short Course, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London

1991   Fashion Design, Eric Lim Fashion Design School, Penang 

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SOLO EXHIBITION

2019   Yasuragi - Repose, Younie Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

 

GROUP EXHIBITION & EXPO

2022   Personal Structures 6th ed by European Cultural Centre, in parallel with Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

2020   Shanghai International Art Fair 2nd Edition, National Exhibition and Convention Center Shanghai, China

2020   SEKAKI International Art Group Show, KL City Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

2019   Art Asia@KL 2019 Asian Warisan Fair, Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur

2018   Art Asia@KL 2018 Hotel Art Expo, Palace of the Golden Horses, Kuala Lumpur

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