Alina Kawai is a visual artist born in Hyōgo, Japan, and currently based in Los Angeles, California. She received her MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2021 and her BFA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2016. Her work explores color and shape to examine connections between personal identity and broader cultural experience, creating spaces for contemplation. Kawai’s paintings are held in private collections, as well as the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum and the Ke Kilohana Building in Honolulu. Alongside her studio practice, she serves as Director of Programming at Art Division, a nonprofit arts organization. In 2026 Kawai was nominated as a recipient for the MRH Fund for Artists by 18th Street Arts Center.