About

I am Lua Kobayashi, a California-based artist and UCLA graduate. My work typically takes its form in photo, video, and installation - often combining all three. As an artist of Japanese-American and Uruguayan descent, I explore the narratives embedded within objects, places, and people, particularly focusing on the stories individuals leave behind. Growing up in a predominantly white suburbia, I felt like an outsider, prompting me to delve into why this was. It led me to uncovering the hidden stories behind seemingly perfect facades as everything was not as perfect as it seemed. The residents within the town chose to show the ideal versions of themselves - smiling faces and facades at every turn but the truth was anything but. I delved into local history and closely examined the community, uncovering hidden stories and lives within every home. This exploration, along with investigating my heritage and understanding my place within the community, significantly shaped my approach to creating artwork. I firmly believe that hidden stories exist in every place, contributing to a genuine portrait of each location.

My practice is dedicated to unraveling these kinds of intricate stories within communities, recently I have had a particular emphasis on Japanese-Americans and familial lineages. Fueled by a profound curiosity about history, culture, and my own heritage, I strive to understand both myself and the stories of my ancestors. I am committed to shedding light on little-known narratives and the multifaceted lives shaped within the American landscape. I draw inspiration from my Grandmother's journey as a Japanese-American Nisei; Through my interest in Japanese-American experiences across the United States, I aim to illuminate the shared experiences and cultural histories that bind us together as a community.

CV

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026

The Persistence of Memory, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA.

2023

Where a Forest Once Grew, Westwood Village, Los Angeles, CA.

SELECTED PUBLIC ART

2026

Furusato: Home Sweet Home, San Pedro Waterfront Arts District, 6th Street & Mesa Street, San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

Things We Carry, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ.
It’s a Small World, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, AZ.

2024

Best of Me, HMVC Gallery, Times Square, New York, NY.
In My Backyard, Not Real Art, Online.

2023

Architecture, Interiors, and Urban Landscapes, Not Real Art, Online.

2022

Telling Stories, Shoebox Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
Chasing Ghosts VII, Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR.
All Media 2022, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA.

2021

North x Northwest: Out of Isolation, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT.
All Media 2021, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA.
30 Under 30, Viridian Artists Gallery, New York, NY.
ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA, Vol. 2, DAB Art Co., Los Angeles, CA.
Waterloo Photography Invitational, PhotoCentric, OH.

2019

Prospectus, Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA.
Juried Photography Exhibit, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ.

RESIDENCIES

2025–2026

Cummings Residency Prize, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA.

2023

Château d’Orquevaux Artist Residency, Orquevaux, France, March–April.

2022

Camera Obscura Artist-in-Residence, Santa Monica, CA, May–August.

GRANTS & AWARDS

2021

UCLA Aratani C.A.R.E. Grant, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Award, New York, NY.
Honorable Mention, Passepartout International Photo Prize, Rome, Italy.

2018

Jeanne Ward Ceramic Scholarship, American Ceramic Society, Southern California.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

2026

“Griffin Museum’s TLC Exhibit Explores Connection in Photography,” The Boston Globe, October 1. Review featuring The Persistence of Memory.
“Japanese American Fishing History Comes Alive on the Street,” Rafu Shimpo, September 25. Feature on Furusato: Home Sweet Home and the history of Terminal Island’s Japanese American fishing community.
“San Pedro’s Fishing History Comes to Life in New Artistic Crosswalks,” Daily Breeze, August 21. Feature on Furusato: Home Sweet Home and its connection to San Pedro’s fishing history.

2023

“Creat-Hear: Lua Kobayashi,” podcast, WQRT 99.1 FM, Indianapolis, IN, November.
“Meet Lua Kobayashi,” Shoutout LA, July.
“Daily Inspiration: Meet Lua Kobayashi,” Voyage LA, March.
“UCLA alumna’s pop-up gallery is a meditation on family, memory and American history,” UCLA Newsroom, February.
“Lua Kobayashi Celebrates Family Legacy and History Through Art Exhibit in Westwood,” Century City/Westwood News, January.

2022

“‘Standout pieces’: Irvine Fine Arts Center hosts return of ‘All Media’ exhibit,” Los Angeles Times: Daily Pilot, July.

TEACHING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

2026–Present

Digital Photography and Graphic Design/Yearbook Teacher, Sequoyah School, Pasadena, CA.

2024

Teaching Artist, 836LA@Hammer Workshop, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA.

2023

Guest Artist, Undergraduate Photography Class, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
Guest Teaching Artist, Oakwood High School Photography Class, Los Angeles, CA, January–April.

2021

Guest Artist, “Look Again” Teen Art Class, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, CA.
Mentor & Guest Artist, Las Fotos Project, Los Angeles, CA.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & SELECTED PROJECTS

2021–Present

Design Manager, Mythograph Inc., Claremont, CA.

Selected Project:

Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, MN, 2025.

2013–2025

Collaborator, Mythograph Inc., Claremont, CA.

Selected Projects:

Little Tokyo Public Art Project, Finalist, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA, 2022.
Collective Behaviors, The Hudson Apartments, Greystar, Pasadena, CA, 2018.

EDUCATION

2019

Bachelor of Arts in Art, Magna Cum Laude, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).