Hikari Shimoda and Millo's double dose of contemporary art focused on human emotions

The colourful and disarming artworks by Japanese painter Hikari Shimoda will intertwine with the emotional and poetic street art of the Italian Millo, filling up Dorothy Circus Gallery’s walls in both Rome and London.

Each artist will present a brand new collection of works on canvas, all following a common theme – the stories, expectations and fragility of timeless generations – today's teenagers and of their parents, yesterday’s eternal children.

Shimoda paints using bright colours and illustrative techniques that combine brushstrokes, lettering and collage. Her work is uniquely made by a juxtaposition of horror and sweetness, a dichotomy that perfectly reflects today's society. Starry-eyed children are a direct quote to the superhero child of Manga culture, their desire and strength to grow to protect all the children of the world from violence and loneliness. At the same time, these characters also reveal the uncertainty and fragility of their own future and that of a tainted and lost childhood.

Similarly, Millo's art reflects on the "fragility of human existence and on the importance of each individual’s personal growth, in relation to the social and urban context in which they live." Millo constantly investigates our surroundings, the place and time we live in, our space in the world and within the walls of our homes. His murals are like doors into the human heart and mind, tapping into our emotions and desires.

Hikari Shimoda and Millo will be on show at Dorothy Circus Gallery in London and Rom from 14 June until 13 July 2019. Find out more: dorothycircusgallery.com.