Hiroya Maeda is an artist, educator, and influential figure in the development of postwar Okinawan contemporary art. Working across painting, sculpture, and lacquer-based sculptural practices, his work explores the body, memory, violence, and the social contradictions inscribed in modern history. Alongside his artistic practice, he has played an important role in art education and cultural institutions in Okinawa, serving as a school principal, university lecturer, and former deputy director of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum. Maeda is reflecting critically on Okinawa’s historical experience and its place within broader Asian and global contexts. Maeda is based in Okinawa, Japan. 

As of July 2026