Kiyoko Matsuoka was born in 1961 in Tokyo. She graduated from the Joshibi University of Art and Design, majoring in Art History and Iconology of Christian Art, later obtaining a Master’s Degree from Chiba University on the History of Art Education in Japan. In 1986, she became a curator at the Itabashi Art Museum, in 1989 heading the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition in Japan and partnering Bologna Children’s Book Fair in the organization of the exhibition’s world tour. Over the years, Kiyoko has curated several exhibitions on picturebook artists, such as Leo Lionni (1996, 2018-2020), Yasuo Segawa (1997), Tomi Ungerer (2001), Dick Bruna (2003-2004), Bruno Munari (2007-2008), Tara Books (2017) and Katsumi Komagata (2020). She has organised workshops for young artists on the creation of books for children, various events and courses for adults and school children interested in picturebooks. She has co-written the latest catalogue on the life and work of Leo Lionni. Currently Associate Director of the Itabashi Art Museum, she is also a university lecturer on picturebooks, and has juried many shows such as the BIB exhibition, the Golden Pinwheel and the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition. An EC member of IBBY from 2010 to 2014, Kiyoko is a board member of JBBY, the Japanese section of IBBY.