A graduate of New York City’s Parsons School of Design (BFA, 1996), MADSAKI was born in Osaka, Japan, and raised in New Jersey, USA – experiences between two cultures that formed his aesthetics and personality. While much of MADSAKI’s work centers on his interest in art history and critiquing mass culture with references to slang, movies and manga characters, the artist has recently been exploring more personal, intimate topics. To express this visually, MADSAKI developed a signature style using spray paint as a fine art medium, stemming from the fact that he has never participated in illegal graffiti on the streets. The artist is particularly known for his Wannabie's series, which at first glance humorously targets old masters, yet their deeper meaning is a reoccurring theme that can be found throughout MADSAKI’s artistic practice - an attempt to use laughter and humor as both distraction and therapy for his internal turmoil.