Izuru Mizutani is a contemporary multimedia artist born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, in 1961. He is the son of Isao Mizutani, an independent artist who mastered the traditional Japanese painting techniques on paper and silk using mineral pigments and animal glue. Isao Mizutani, known for his diverse artistic endeavors including murals, illustrations, stage sets, and teaching, instilled in Izuru a profound artistic spirit and independence.

   Growing up in this rich artistic environment, Izuru Mizutani was influenced by a wide range of artists, including Butoh dancers Kazuo Ohno and Tatsumi Hijikata, playwright Juro Kara, and actor Akaji Maro. This diverse exposure deeply inspired his creative development.

   In his youth, Mizutani worked as a director for a TV station. A pivotal moment in his career was his travel to Cambodia to report on the genocide by the Pol Pot regime, which profoundly impacted his artistic vision. This experience became the foundation for his career as an artist, leading him to explore themes of war, political, social, and civilizational issues through his art.

   Mizutani's basic style includes installations where figures reminiscent of corpses wrapped in rags lie in front of large screens depicting desolate killing fields, evoking scenes of battle and massacres. His work uniquely addresses themes often overlooked in the complacent Japanese art world, which has distanced itself from such issues since becoming an economic superpower in the 1970s.

   Mizutani's work is characterized by his use of varied materials such as water, light, video, and computer technology, often combining two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements. His installations are participatory and interactive, drawing from his studies in psychology to engage viewers deeply.

   His innovative approach has gained recognition, particularly in Korea, where he is considered a leading figure in Japanese anti-war art. Mizutani's art has been showcased in numerous international venues, including New York, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Miami, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Barcelona, Basel, and Locarno, Switzerland.

   Izuru Mizutani continues to challenge and captivate audiences worldwide, creating art that provokes thought and dialogue on critical social issues, human psychology, and the intricate interplay between self and other, certainty and uncertainty, reality and illusion.