April 24, 2025
IKO Art Discoveries Launches with MASAMI: A New Chapter in Contemporary Art Exhibitions in Tokyo
An immersive new exhibition invites Tokyo-ites to explore art, nature and connection through the eyes of Japanese artist MASAMI
French curator Agathe Ferrand Maeda launches one of the most intimate and meaningful contemporary art exhibitions in Tokyo this spring with her new public art initiative, IKO Art Discoveries. Designed to foster inclusive, cross-cultural dialogue, IKO opens its first bilingual season with a poetic solo show by Japanese artist MASAMI, alongside a full calendar of workshops, talks and tours across the city.
A First Exhibition in Japan
of salt since the birth of the universe”,
2022, serigraphy on cotton, black ink. (detail)
With a poetic solo show by MASAMI, the French curator opens a new season of contemporary art exhibitions in Tokyo. It blends public art, workshops and dialogue.
When French curator and cultural consultant Agathe Ferrand Maeda moved to Tokyo in 2021, she wasn’t looking for a traditional gallery career. She was searching for something deeper. Ways to use art to connect people, places and ideas in more intimate and inclusive ways.
After over a decade working between Paris, New York and Beirut—from museums to art fairs to editorial work—she has launched her first curatorial project in Japan. IKO Art Discoveries
IKO is a Tokyo-based cultural agency and public art program designed to make contemporary art accessible, human and participatory. With its launch, it adds to the growing number of art exhibitions in Tokyo that aim to make the city’s cultural landscape more open and immersive.
This spring, its first bilingual season unfolds across Tokyo with a series of exhibitions, workshops, guided tours and talks.
“IKO was born out of a need; a need for thoughtful art experiences that are close to people, rooted in place and generous in spirit.” – Agathe Ferrand Maeda
A Tokyo Debut: MASAMI’s “Paysages intérieurs”
A quiet, powerful meditation on memory, matter and coexisting with the Earth
The launch of IKO Art Discoveries centers on a poetic solo exhibition by Japanese artist MASAMI. It is titled Paysages intérieurs (Inner Landscapes), running May 2–31, 2025, at Impact HUB Tokyo in Meguro.
Working with recycled and natural materials like fabric, copper wire and ceramics, MASAMI creates tactile works that explore the delicate tension between body, memory and planet. Her practice is informed by her training at Joshibi University of Art and Design in Japan. As well as at the École Supérieure d’Art de La Réunion in the Indian Ocean . These two landscapes that continue to influence her work.
Her first solo show in Tokyo, Paysages intérieurs presents over 25 artworks. Fom silkscreen prints on raw textile to thread-based installations. All radiating quiet energy and care. These works ask one central question:
“How do we coexist on our planet—body, soul and Earth—as well as within the universe?”
The exhibition invites audiences not just to look, but to pause, listen and reconnect. It creates one of the most meditative contemporary art exhibitions in Tokyo this season.
MASAMI: Paysages intérieurs
Impact HUB Tokyo (Meguro)
May 2–31, 2025 | Open Tues–Sun, 11am – 6pm
Admission Free – Events upon registration
Opening Soirée | May 2, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Includes guided tour with artist and curator + cocktail
¥4,500 | Register here
A Living Artwork Across Borders
The exhibition extends beyond the gallery. On May 3 and May 4, MASAMI will lead two hands-on weaving workshops where participants co-create elements for a future installation in France. The works will travel to Vent des Forêts, a contemporary art center in the forests of Lorraine, where MASAMI will complete a large-scale outdoor piece during her artist residency.
The workshops—suitable for adults and older children—offer participants a chance to literally weave themselves into the project. Thus connecting landscapes and communities across continents.
Collective Weaving Workshop with MASAMI
Impact HUB Tokyo
May 3 & 4 | 1:30pm – 2:45pm
¥3,800 (includes 1 drink) | Register here
¥2,500 for children
What is IKO Art Discoveries?
Launched in 2025 by Ferrand Maeda, IKO Art Discoveries is a curatorial agency that bridges contemporary art, architecture, design and creative travel. It has a strong focus on accessibility and intercultural dialogue.
From behind-the-scenes artist talks to design walks, family-friendly studio visits to sustainability-focused workshops, IKO invites people to experience art not as outsiders, but as active participants.
Spring 2025 includes:
- Exhibition curating and guided tours
- Architecture and design walks
- Studio visits and artist-led events
- Creative workshops around ecology and materiality
- Cultural consulting and curated travel experiences
Some events are accessible in multiple languages, including English and French and open to individuals, families, creatives and anyone curious about contemporary art exhibitions in Tokyo.
Full schedule: ikoartdiscoveries.com/program
Reservations: lu.ma/ikoartdiscoveries
Contact: contact@ikoartdiscoveries.com
A New Chapter for Impact HUB Tokyo
MASAMI’s exhibition takes place at Impact HUB Tokyo, a collaborative coworking and cultural space located in a former printing factory in Meguro. Known for supporting entrepreneurs, artists and innovators, the HUB is relaunching its “Gallery Program” in 2025—and Paysages Intérieurs marks its first solo show of the year.
With open studios, shared workspaces and a philosophy grounded in impact and experimentation, the venue reflects IKO’s ethos: creative work that invites collaboration and change.
hubtokyo.com
About the Curator
Agathe Ferrand Maeda brings over 10 years of international experience to her work.
Before Tokyo, she worked with institutions including MAC VAL Museum (Paris), the Beirut Art Fair, and the kamel mennour gallery and regularly contributes to publications like Beaux-Arts Magazine and Le Quotidien de l’Art.
Her curatorial approach is rooted in care, listening and connection—shaped by her training in art history, her work in the field and her own French-Japanese family experience. Through IKO, she’s building a new way to experience culture in Japan: slower, softer and more human.
She also shares her creative journey and art recommendations through content creation on her YouTube channel, Agatha’s Journey.
