AIKO
Born and raised in Tokyo, AIKO moved to New York City in 1997 to pursue an MFA in Media Studies from the New School University. Her career in the arts began with dj-ing and vj-ing in New York City clubs and with assisting Takashi Murakami at his Brooklyn studio. This experience subsequently led her to co-found the artist collective FAILE in 1999 which came to be known for wheat pasting and stenciling images around New York City.
AIKO's iconic Bunny stencil was first created in 2005 while she was in Banksy's London studio, shortly after she began her independent career following her time with FAILE. Born in the year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese calendar, the Rabbit has always been a personal symbol for the artist. The Bunny embodies themes of freedom, love, peace, and independence, and has since been stenciled thousands of times across the globe, becoming a globally recognized piece of iconography.
Through her work on murals and canvases, AIKO interprets the dynamics of sex work, eroticism, female figures embracing their sexuality, scenes inspired by red-light districts and Japanese shunga, a genre of 16th-century erotic art found in woodblock prints. Upon moving to the US, her visual language transformed into a mixed media style, inspired by graffiti, advertisements, Pop Art as well as traditional Japanese aesthetics.
An acclaimed artist in the international graffiti, street art and contemporary art scene, her comprehensive exhibition history includes shows at many institutions. In 2008, AIKO participated in a two-artist show called “Brick Ladies” with Lady Pink. A few years later in 2010, she worked with Banksy on ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop.' Her large-scale works are installed across many cities including Miamiʼs Wynwood Walls, 2009; New York Cityʼs Bowery Wall, 2013; and Coney Art Walls curated by Jeffrey Deitch in 2015, 2016, 2017. AIKO has exhibited in a collection of group shows such as ‘Animamix Biennale’ held at Shanghai’s MoCA in 2009; ‘Edo Pop’ at Japan Society NYC in 2013; BEYOND THE STREETS in LA, NY, London, and Shanghai between 2018, 2019, 2023. She has shown her work through solo shows, “Sweet Heart” at The Outsiders Gallery in the UK in 2014 and Lady Go at Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum in 2018. On the commercial front, AIKO has been commissioned to create works in collaboration with Louis Vuitton, FENDI, Coach, Apple, Microsoft, Estée Lauder, Kiehlʼs, The Standard, W Hotel, Sanrio Hello Kitty, Isetan, Warner Bros., RED, Pepsi, Reebok, as well as for the former First Lady Michelle Obama. In 2020 and 2023, AIKO completed two commissioned projects for the World Trade Centre. In February 2024, Gallery XXL presented the first solo exhibition of AIKO in India titled ‘Follow the Bunny.’ Her most recent exhibitions held in 2025 include Lens Pens Cans at City Museum of Zagreb, Croatia; Street Art is Female at the UN in New York City, USA; and ONLY HUMAN at GGA Gallery, Miami, USA. The artist is currently based in Lower Manhattan, New York City where she is focusing on her studio practice and commissioned works.