Oe Masahiko was born in Osaka City in 1965. Atelier Hiko, located in Hirano Ward, Osaka, took its name from his nickname, “Hiko-kun”, and he creates there three days a week. At home, he also paints whenever he has time, whether at the dining table or his desk, making art a natural part of his daily life.
Born with a heart condition, painting quietly became central to Oe’s life. In the early 1990s, there were no painting classes for people with intellectual disabilities in Osaka, and existing facilities didn’t suit him. From 1991 to 1997, he attended weekly art classes at Mizunoki in Kameoka, Kyoto, under the late Nishigaki Chuichi.
Driven by the desire to create a place for artistic activity in Osaka, Atelier Hiko was founded in 1994. Since then, Oe has continued creating art for over 30 years.
His early works feature lively, charming animals filling the canvas. Thick layers of oil and acrylic paint show joyful, playful brushwork. In January 2023, inspired by an apparently significant event in his life, his style shifted to abstract paintings with a blue circle floating in the center of yellow fields. The blue circle is sometimes abstracted into forms like flowers or fans, with a yellow background consistently surrounding these motifs.
Oe’s playful and gentle nature shines through his work, making him a creative wellspring that attracts artists and creators to Atelier Hiko.