MISAKO & ROSEN is pleased to announce HOT, the latest installment of our summer exhibition series. HOT will feature the work of New York based artist Trevor Shimizu as well as Tokyo based artist Ken Kagami.

Shimizu has presented his work in numerous group exhibitions at MISAKO & ROSEN; his most recent solo exhibition was with 47 Canal in New York (2012). In 2012, Shimzu participated in group exhibitions at Night Galery (Los Angeles), Galerie Christine Mayer (Munich), Zach Feuer (New York) and the Queens Museum of Art (New York).

Ken Kagami recently took part in the MISAKO & ROSEN exhibition Happy Mind : My Pleasure; he has had a solo exhibition in Tokyo with Taka Ishii Gallery as well as Krinzinger Projekte, Vienna (2006). Kagami has taken part in group exhibitions internationally at spaces including Galleri Nicolai Wallner (Copenhagen) , Frederic Snitzer Gallery (Miami) and Asia-Australia Arts Centre (Sydney).

Kagami and Shimizu create informed work infused with a genuine sense of humor. There is a contrast in form between the work of each artist; Kagami drawing in equal measure on an aesthetic of design as abjection, Shimizu borrowing ironically from the the romantic messiness of an expressive tradition of painting. While Kagami utilizes found objects and images in sculpture, works on paper and artists books, Shimizu's paintings and drawings are structured by situational comedy.

The opening of HOT will include a free cream soda party with beach-style dress code as well as a russian roulette wasabi challenge. MISAKO & ROSEN have published Shimizu's Sunburns and Kagami's Hot Book artist books in a limited edition in conjunction with the exhibition.