Megumi Ohata

Megumi Ohata is a London-based interdisciplinary artist and special effects makeup artist (SFX MUA) who is of primarily Japanese heritage, with a mixed Korean background. They are renowned for their innovative works marked by the use of SFX techniques and unique artificial skin fabrics imprinted with their own skin textures. This inventive approach has been well-received by collaborators and creatives globally, fostering opportunities in cities such as Tokyo and London.

Ohata achieved a First Class Honours Degree in BA (Hons) Illustration at the Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London, in 2019. They later received a Graduate Diploma in Art & Design (Fine Art) from the Royal College of Art in 2021.

Among their notable achievements, Ohata was a runner-up for the Batsford Prize 2019 in the fashion category and delivered an artist talk Reimagining Human Body at the Tate Modern in 2023. In 2022, they were awarded The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Arts & Culture grant for their upcoming 2023 show in Hiroshima, as part of an artist collective.

As an expatriate Japanese artist with mixed Korean heritage, Ohata is deeply committed to promoting unique cross-cultural exchanges through their art. They regularly collaborate with artists from various nationalities and organise projects that test and expand the boundaries of artistic expression.

Ohata's practice is deeply intertwined with explorations of gender, identity, and Posthuman philosophy. Their work addresses personal traumas - from the impacts of child abuse to the discrimination they have faced due to their Asian heritage. In Ohata's journey towards resolving these traumatic experiences, they question the role of artists in breaking free from society's negative cycle, and how they can challenge societal norms and expectations.

Using SFX techniques, they create sculptural installations and wearable art that mimic human bodies in an unsettling and peculiar manner. This reflects their fascination with the body as well as their response to the absurd and often incomprehensible habits of human beings. Ohata's work poses the question: What does a body need to be relatable?

Their artistic process is a reflective one, mirroring the act of extracting parts from their own body, both physically and mentally, and gradually transforming them into a work of art. By dissociating their "skins" and "bodies," Ohata ventures into a process of self-reflection and examination, delving into how past experiences have shaped their identity and how they can proactively reshape it.

Ohata perceives their art as an extension of their own body, a means to blur boundaries beyond their skin and to seek the non-human form within. They strive to transform their past into a narrative with hope. Their art is a platform where past traumas are acknowledged and transcended, creating a space where understanding and empathy can flourish.

Photographed by Bart Seng Wen Long