195. Jiro Osuga - Light and Shade

2026
Acrylic and oil on MDF
12.5 x 16.5 x 3 cm
Signed on Verso

Jiro Osuga paints anything and everything that intrigues him, ranging from observations of everyday life to imaginative and fantastical speculations. His work is characterised by curiosity, humour, and a deeply personal approach to storytelling, often combining ordinary scenes with unexpected shifts in perspective and narrative. Some of his paintings are interactive, incorporating hinged or moveable panels that invite viewers to physically engage with the work and alter the image themselves.

Osuga’s paintings frequently blur the boundaries between reality and imagination, creating layered worlds that unfold gradually through close looking. Whether depicting urban life, interiors, flowers, portraits, or invented scenarios, his work is united by a sense of openness, playfulness, and emotional warmth. The interactive elements within certain paintings extend this engagement further, transforming viewing into an active and participatory experience.

Osuga completed an MA in Fine Art Painting at the Royal College of Art, London (1990–1992), following a BA in Fine Art Painting at Chelsea College of Art, London (1987–1990).

Recent exhibitions include The World Goes By at Keumsan Gallery, Seoul (2024); All Our Stories at the Migration Museum, London (2024); Say it with Flowers at White Conduit Projects, London (2024); Departures at Flowers Gallery, London (2023); The River at The Milton Gallery, St Paul’s School, London (2022); Me, Myself, I — Artists’ Self-Portraits at the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol (2022); and multiple editions of the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition (2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2019).

Other notable exhibitions include Jiro Osuga: The Theatre of the World at Flowers New York (2015); Planet Jiro at Flowers Kingsland Road, London (2013); Opening Worlds – Jiro Osuga’s Hinged Paintings at Flowers East, London (2006); Tower Blocks at the Museum of London (1999); and John Moores 19 at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (1995).

His work is held in collections including the Museum of London, Guildhall Art Gallery, Deutsche Bank, Paintings in Hospitals, and the Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Collection.