Ai Funaki First Solo Exhibition in HK《Wish : Cherished Moments》

This exhibition marks the first time Funaki’s newly created series will be presented in Hong Kong. Weaving together two distinct visual styles, the artist creates an emotional duet: the Monochrome series symbolizes quiet memories resting in the deep corridor of time, while the Colorful series represents the vibrant light that illuminates everyday life. Here, "Wish" acts as a guiding thread, reminding us to hold fast to present warmth and companionship amidst the routine of daily living.

Contrasting the cats' lazy everyday postures with meticulously detailed backgrounds, Funaki invites viewers to wander between silent memories and a radiant present — rediscovering their own unique, comforting stories along the way.

"Though the corridor of time is long and deep, as long as there is love and companionship, a warm light will forever glow in the depths of our memory."

— Ai Funaki  

Background & Style
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Ai Funaki has loved recording her inner thoughts through drawing since childhood. During her early years, neighborhood cats served as her primary artistic enlightenment, prompting her to explore varied feline postures. As her artistic practice deepened, she naturally adopted the black cat as her central visual motif, using JOE as a bridge to communicate subtle emotions with her audience.

Alongside JOE, a silver-grey tabby American Shorthair named Happy frequently graces her canvases. Funaki reveals that Happy was inspired by a real-life companion who brought immense comfort to her daily life. If JOE represents deep introspection and nostalgia, Happy is the concrete embodiment of "present joy and companionship." Happy’s intricate tabby patterns and gentle expression form a clear contrast with JOE's sleek black silhouette. Whenever the two are painted resting together or chasing each other in the garden, that snapshot captures Funaki's ultimate "Wish": the quiet perfection of shared warmth in the present moment.

Funaki’s visual language combines modern graphic precision with the stillness of Japanese flat painting (Fukuro-e style). JOE is rendered as a pure, flat black silhouette, stripped of volumetric shading to achieve a sleek, modern geometric feel, while the surrounding backgrounds retain rich perspective, light depth, and texture. This opposition between "flat minimalism" and "spatial depth" creates a distinct visual duality that defines her signature style.  

About the Artist

Ai Funaki (舟木愛) was born in Tokyo, Japan. She derives her creative inspiration from animals and nature, with her artistic journey closely bound to her deep affection for cats.

Since launching her career as a professional artist in Tokyo in 2019, Funaki has gained rapid acclaim for her distinct geometric color blocks and iconic black cat motif, earning consecutive selections for Japan’s prestigious “Shibuya Awards”. Her exhibition footprint spans extensively across Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Spain, making her an active presence in the international contemporary art scene. As her style matured, Funaki naturally adopted JOE the black cat and Happy the American Shorthair as her core visual symbols — stylizing the nimble postures of small animals into modern color-block compositions loved by collectors worldwide.