Michiko Yao is currently based in Los Angeles. Her work has been exhibited at the Japanese American National Museum, the REDCAT Gallery, the Orange County Museum of Art, the Santa Monica Museum of Art, and the Laguna Art Museum. Michiko received her BFA and MFA in Art from California Institute of the Arts.
Born in Osaka, Japan, Michiko Yao's interdisciplinary work investigates the psychology behind the unique social behaviors and fantasies of Japanese women, and the relationship of two imperialisms, Western and Japanese. Through the work, she poses questions regarding an individual’s perceived knowledge of gender, race, and sexuality using Japanese and western culture as a reference.