Gen Hatakeyama was born in 1992 in northern Japan. He has been in San Francisco for six years, and earned his Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Art in Sculpture at the Academy of Art University in 2019.

Gen grew up in the city with full of nature, and was inspired by animals when he was a child. Gen expanded his creative ideas for his artwork by making sculptures of Doberman Pincher.

Gen is a devoted Catholic, and making artwork of the blessed Virgin Mary is a form of prayer for him. Gen creates artwork of Mary to show his appreciation for the privilege he was given to experience it here on earth.