Rei Sato was born in Yamagata-ken, Japan, in 1984. And graduated from Ochanomizu College of Fine Arts and Design in 2005. Sato’s talent was discovered by Takashi Murakami in the very first GEISAI event in 2002, and then join the atelier of Murakami, Kaikai Kiki. Finding inspiration in everyday objects and occurrences, Sato's paintings use photographs layered between whimsically drawn figures to create effervescent scenery. Her process involves taking pictures of her surroundings which she then transfers on the canvas, the addition of cartoon-like characters amongst the urban scenery drawn from anime and manga. Playful and intuitive, Sato expresses her personal optimism, and her energy has captured the eye of international institutions. 

Since 2002, Sato has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including exhibition at Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris (2002, curated by Takashi Murakami), Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York (2004), VOLTA Art Fairs, Basel (2006), Melbourne Art Fair (2012). And has held a series of solo exhibitions in Paris, Tokyo, New York, Singapore, Taipei and Hong Kong. Moreover, Sato has taken part in the residency program at The Fountainhead Residency, Miami (2010). And has undertaken artistic direction for the production of Prokofiev’s classic, Peter and the Wolf, for Works & Process at the Guggenheim Museum, New York (2010).