io (b. 1996) is a Los Angeles based artist working mainly in abstract and semi-representational painting. io’s work focuses on the minutia of interpersonal relationships and self-love, heavily influenced by his experience as a queer man living in America.

His interchangeable character, the “lil guy,” is an everybody and a nobody, playfully embodying the experience of coming out while living in a major city. By using pastels palettes and compositions of nonspecific places and people, io’s work feels like a soft invitation into a familiar space where you can reflect upon yourself. 

io has shown across the US and in France in solo and group settings, with write ups in publications like ArtWeek.