Leiko Ikemura is a Japanese-Swiss artist recognized for her contributions to 1980s Neo-Expressionism and her evocative, symbolic paintings and sculptures that blend human, animal, and botanical forms.
Born in Japan, Leiko Ikemura has been a prominent figure on the international art scene since the 1970s. She established her career in Europe, eventually settling in Germany where she has balanced her artistic practice with a long-standing teaching career at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin.
Her work is characterized by a fluid, evolving style that incorporates elements of symbolism to construct dreamlike, magical universes. Working across oil painting, sculpture, and watercolor, she frequently explores the intersection of nature and the human psyche, creating figures that appear both fragile and resilient.
Ikemura’s work maintains a significant global presence, with pieces held in the permanent collections of major institutions including the Centre Pompidou, Kunstmuseum Basel, and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Her reach continues to expand, marked by recent international engagement such as her 2023 solo exhibition at the Museo de Arte de Zapopan in Mexico.
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