Ryo Kajitani is a queer artist and art model based in Tokyo, Japan. They identify as transgender and asexual.
Their artworks are known for their decadent and dark painting style.
In Japan, they gained recognition alongside artists like Zdzisław Beksiński (1929–2005) and TATSUSHIMA Yuko (1974-) through the popularization of the internet meme "Words that should not be searched."
During their time at Tama Art University, they specialized in oil-based woodcut printmaking (2010–2014).
In their doctoral program, they studied under the late MOTOE Kunio (art historian, 1948–2019) and Nakamura Yutaka (cultural anthropologist).
Their research focused on the possibility of implementing ontological aesthetics in the artistic dynamics of exhibition spaces from the perspective of the creator, and they proposed a hypothetical and exploratory model based on Martin Heidegger's theory of art (2016-2019).
After graduating, they returned to working as an art model, designer in Tokyo.
As of 2023, they are experimenting with mixed analog and digital collage prints, using a combination of printmaking techniques and partial machine learning (E.g.: Python open CV, diffuser library).
Additionally, they draw from their own experiences of being violently assaulted to provide international humanitarian aid and support for orphans and individuals seeking to reintegrate into society.
