KINOTORIKO, Toriko Kino
Born in Tokyo. Lived for 2 years in Melbourne, Australia in the childhood, then returned to Tokyo. Majored in English and American literature in the university, studied graphic design in correspondence course.
Works as an illustrator under the name of "Toriko Kino" (for advertisement, editorials, products, displays & wall paintings, etc.) , and also as a picture-book author under the name of "KINOTORIKO".
The first solo exhibition was in 1990, entitled "Nonsense Innocence Science". Since then, the interface between science and literature is always one of her main interests. In 2000, the book From Where We Came, and To Where We Go (texts by O. Sakura, PhD.) ; In 2002, If the Earth is a Glove of 100cm…… (texts by T. Nagai, PhD.) were published. Took charge of the plannings & graphics (in accordance with Prof.Sakura), at one of the displays in the scientific museum in Kagoshima prefecture, opened in April, 2003. In 2011, the pocket version of From Where We Came…… is re-published from Chuko Bunko.
In 2001, started to use the name " KINOTORIKO", for the project to seek the possibilities of "the picture/visual books". For example, the book with all pages die-cut, of 3-meter rolled or of 6-meter accordion-folded. In 2003 & 2004, the illustrations among these books are selected for Bologna Children's Book Fair and some of the works got into the collection of OPLA, the library of artist's books for children in Italy. They are also collected by some libraries and museums in France and Japan.
As the fruit of frequently visiting the publishers in Europe is; first Tendre est la Mort published by a French publisher. This book is awarded the "LibbyLit Prize 2009" as the best picture-book in French language in Belgium. Then, from the same publisher, Qui Suis-Je ? (who am I ? / I'm Puzzled) is released in January 2011. It's the book in which the main character is being "puzzled", and the readers can also play the puzzle. Quand petit Tomo dort (2017), La Nuit Ailleurs (2018) are published as the limited, on-demand editions. Illustrations in these two books are all laser-cut and pages are folded in accordion style.
In Japan, Honeybees and the Labyrinths of Flowers is published in March 2019, the activity book of maze & coloring and also for education. This might be the developed version of Here I am! The A-mazing Little Creatures (2006). In October 2019, I'm PEKO-PEKO Hungry! is published, a book to introduce Japanese onomatopoeia with illustrations.