Born in Kyoto, Japan, Kazuhiro Tsuji is a contemporary sculptor living and working in Los Angeles, CA. After working 25 years as a special effects makeup artist in Hollywood, Kazu decisively shifted focus in 2012, dedicating himself full time to fine art sculpture. Using resin, platinum silicone, and many other materials, Kazu constructs three-dimensional portraits in a scale two times life size.

Kazu is a self-taught pioneer in the craft of using contemporary materials to create the illusion of life.  Having discovered the art of special effects makeup for himself while perusing American magazines as a teenager, he developed skills through mimicry, trial and error.  In 1987, he found the address for Dick Smith in Fangoria Magazine and initiated a pen pal student/mentor relationship with him which eventually resulted in Kazu’s first film gig fresh out of high school. As an early pioneer in Japan, Kazu founded one of the country’s first companies of its kind, Makeup and Effects Unlimited, and worked with director Akira Kurosawa in the production of “Rhapsody in August”.

Currently, Kazu is primarily focused on producing large-scale hyperrealist portrait sculpture in his custom-built modeling and casting studio in Los Angeles. The recent work he has exhibited widely at major art fairs and museums has magnetized the attention from collectors, press, and visiting art enthusiasts alike.

You can follow the artist’s Instagram account here.