Aiko is a Japanese Illustrator, Mixed Media Artist, and a recent member of Adobe Creative Residency 2019 currently living in Tokyo. I was born and raised in Chiba, Japan and moved to Boston after finishing my high school. I graduated from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts with a B.A. in Graphic Design. After completing 5.5 years living experience and my studies in the U.S. I returned to Tokyo and started working as an in-house Graphic Designer in the luxury fashion industry. Meanwhile, I was into drawing in which I found peace, and in 2014 I became a full-time freelance illustrator.

My work is always rooted by my childhood memories. As my mom and older sister were very fashionable, I loved to sneak in their closet and wore their hand-me-down. I cut and sewed their clothes to fit my body, and this experience (experiment) grew the zero-waste mind and my creativity. I believe “ the power of handmade” because I feel warm, special, and make me want to keep it as I still wear my vintage clothes and collect all the hand-written letters from my friends. Somehow these all things came together and influenced how I create my work. I mix analog and digital tools to create my work, and make sure that all of my drawings have a handmade feelings. I sometimes cut them and make something 3D which reminds me of the method of remade my clothes. I feel joy when I draw my imaginary world that I saw in my head. I’m excited when I explore pushing boundaries of what is possible with my illustration. That was a main subject of my residency at Adobe Creative Resident 2019-2020. I completed the program and keep on moving forward to my creative journey with full of curiosities.

※日本語版プロフィールは近日公開予定です。

AWARD

2018 Nominated for Gmund Award, Germany

2017 Winner for Make it on Mobile by Adobe, USA

EXHIBITION

2019　Tokyo, Adobe MAX JAPAN Installation "Wonder Chamber", Pacifico Yokohama Convention Center

2019　New York, Charity Auction "Art for Tibet", Gallery 8 NYC

2019　Los Angeles, Adobe MAX LA Solo Installation "Drawn Room", Los Angeles Convention Center

2019　Tokyo, Live Art "Today at Apple x The Big Draw", Apple Marunouchi

2019　New York, Group Exhibition "55Kids Day" by Copelus, SBC Art Gallery Brooklyn

2019　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Year of the Boar" by NiyaNiya Studio, Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan

2018　Tokyo, Collaboration Exhibition "Aiko Fukuda x Urban Research", Omotesando Hills

2018　New York, Solo Exhibition "Shape of Love", SBC Art Gallery Brooklyn

2017　Tokyo, Solo Exhibition "Cabinet of Curiosities" sponsored by Faber-Castell, Tokyo Midtown

2017　Tokyo, Live Art "Today at Apple", Apple Ginza

2017　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Karuta Ichi", Winged Wheel Aoyama Showroom

2017　Tokyo, Solo Exhibition "New Standard Legacy", Clothier Shibuya

2017　Tokyo, Solo Exhibition "Fashion Laboratory", L'illustre Galerie LE MONDE

2016　Tokyo, Group Exhibition Fashion Trade Show "Rooms", National Yoyogi Studium

2016　Tokyo, Collaboration Exhibition "Pas de Trois Dans le Salon" by repetto, Burnish Salon

2016　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Atelie Ebi Omo", Meguro Museum of Art

2015　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Love Drawing Vol.1", L'illustre Galerie LE MONDE

2014　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Present Graphic Expression", Recto Verso Gallery

2012　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Act Art Award 2012", The Art Complex Center of Tokyo

2012　Tokyo, Charity Exhibition "Thumbhole", Hiroshige Gallery

2011　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Atelier Omo3 Kawashima Dojo", Hiroshige Gallery, Tokyo

2010　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Chiyoda Art 3331 Independents", 3331 Arts Chiyoda

2010　Tokyo, Group Exhibition "Atelier Ebi Omo", Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo

INTERVIEW & PUBLICATION

(Interviewed by)

2020 Adobe Fresco Relay

2019 Baus magazine

2019 Hug Letter

2019 Adobe Plus One

2019 Baus Magazine

2017 Container

2017 Adobe Creative Station

2017 Mac Fan magazine

(Featured in)

2019 Wired

2019 Gigazine
2019 Pro News
2019 Creator Zine

2019 Nikkei X Trend

2018 Fashion Press

2017 Adobe Create (US)

2017 Artnet News (US)

2017 Roland D.C. Imagine

2016 Vogue Japan

2016 Mac Fan magazine

2016 Isuta web

2014 KiDS magazine (FR)

(Featured in Book)

2018 Pictoria Volume No.1 (AU)

2017 Fashion Illustration File

2016 A Journey Through Monochrome Illustrations