Mitsuko Taira (b. 1996, Azumino, Nagano, Japan) graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design, Department of Fine Arts (Sculpture), and completed her MFA in Sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts. She primarily creates wood sculptures that express a quiet and poetic world through the forms of living beings. Drawing inspiration from biblical stories, poetry, and folklore, she constructs her works as if capturing a single scene from a narrative. The animals and figures that appear in her work exist between reality and fiction, holding a deep emotional resonance within a still and contemplative atmosphere. Her practice is also deeply rooted in personal experience. Drawing from memory and past experiences, she carefully renders soft textures of fur, the warmth of living bodies, and even the subtle shadows of eyelashes, imbuing each work with a profound sense of care and intimacy. The beings she carves embody a purity and quietness that stand in contrast to human existence, gently questioning values and sensibilities that are increasingly lost in contemporary society. In recent years, she has actively exhibited in solo and group exhibitions as well as international art fairs, where her works have consistently received strong recognition.