Biography
Born Akiko Miyakami in Shizuoka, Japan, the artist first worked as a nurse caring for elderly patients at the end of their lives. That profound experience drove her to travel and leave her "footprints" on walls around the world. She discovered graffiti in 1998 in Shizuoka, inspired by hip-hop videos, then watched the film "Wild Style" in 2000 — the catalyst for her move to New York, where she honed her craft in Brooklyn and Queens from 2000 to 2004.
Her visual world fuses Japanese aesthetics with old-school New York graffiti, built around "Mimi", her signature character embodying dynamic, resilient womanhood. A former judo champion who is deaf in her right ear from an early bout of mumps, she channels these singularities into creative strength. Alongside graffiti, she launched the hip-hop fashion label BJ46 and collaborates with legendary Bronx b-girl Rokafella.
After living between Japan and New York, Shiro obtained a US artist visa in 2013 and a green card in 2021. Now based in New York, she advocates for the recognition of women in graffiti. Her work has been featured by The Lily, UP Magazine and Few and Far Women, and shown at the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival.
Her visual world fuses Japanese aesthetics with old-school New York graffiti, built around "Mimi", her signature character embodying dynamic, resilient womanhood. A former judo champion who is deaf in her right ear from an early bout of mumps, she channels these singularities into creative strength. Alongside graffiti, she launched the hip-hop fashion label BJ46 and collaborates with legendary Bronx b-girl Rokafella.
After living between Japan and New York, Shiro obtained a US artist visa in 2013 and a green card in 2021. Now based in New York, she advocates for the recognition of women in graffiti. Her work has been featured by The Lily, UP Magazine and Few and Far Women, and shown at the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival.
The site contains a total of 2 artworks by Shiro in 1 countries.
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Artworks by Shiro have been viewed 24 times.
