Mariko Makino (b. 1987) is a sculptor that lives and works between Lower Manhattan and Freehold, NY. Her sinuously shaped, organic forms emit a prismatic glow and create immersive atmospheric environments. Makino was raised in Japan and returned to her birthplace of New York in 2006, where she has since lived. Makino originally trained professionally as a chef, finding similarities in the experiential notions of crafting both food and sculpture. Her love of communal meals persists, privileging shared experiences around light, color, and form. Makino bends the neon and carves the wood in her sculptures herself. Unlike traditional neon signage, which can be jarring visually, Makino's intention is that her work can be comfortably lived with and shared within a home environment, like a good meal.

Makino is represented by Entrance, where she had her debut in 2018. Outside, Entrance / Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY (2026) is her fourth solo exhibition with the gallery. Makino’s sculptures have been shown at Paris London Hong Kong, Chicago, IL (2022), Phil Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2024), North Loop, Williamstown, MA (2023), Document, Lisbon, Portugal (2023). She has participated in fair presentations at Felix Art Fair, Los Angeles, CA (2023, 2024), Expo Chicago, Chicago, IL (2023), and the New Art Dealers Alliance, Miami, FL and New York, NY (2022, 2023, 2025). In Fall 2025, her work was included in Side Hustle, a group exhibition curated by legendary interior designer Kelly Wearstler in Los Angeles, CA.

Instagram

Click images below to enlarge