Atsushi Suwa was born in 1967 in Hokkaido, Japan, and studied oil painting at the Art Design Institute of Musashino Art University. In 1994, he was nominated by the Japanese Agency of Cultural Affairs to study art in Spain. In 1995, he was the first Asian artist to win the first prize at the Fifth International Painting Exhibition hosted by the Barcelona Foundation. After returning to Japan, he was awarded the Award for Excellence at the 22nd Rising Artists Exhibition held by the Sompo Japan Museum of Art. Suwa applies classical techniques and his unique personal perspectives to contemporary themes, with the common subject being female nudes. Suwa’s paintings are not impressive merely for their lifelike realism--more importantly, they are a platform for the artist to create an extraordinary atmosphere and articulate attitudes, feelings, thoughts and ideas. Suwa paints the story of humanity and the world.