Misaki Kawai was born in 1978 in Ōkawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, and currently lives and works in New York. Her work has been widely exhibited in the United States. Her father was an architect and amateur painter, while her mother made clothing and puppets. Kawai creates installation artworks using papier-mâché, wood, fabric, and other inventive, craft-based materials such as felt, stickers, and yarn, embracing a spontaneous and improvisational aesthetic.

Rejecting traditional notions of “professionalism,” she adopts a style known as heta-uma, or “bad-good,” a Japanese manga aesthetic that embraces amateurish expression with charm and intention. Kawai has published several artist books, including Blueberry Express (Nieves Press, 2009), Pencil Exercise (Edition Nord, 2011), and Steamy Buns (nos:books, 2020). From December 2020 to April 2021, she presented her first installation in Australia, titled Moja Moja Land.

In addition to exhibiting in museums, Kawai has collaborated with brands such as IKEA to produce art-inspired homeware, reflecting her philosophy of bringing art into everyday life.