Lena Okamoto
Textile Artist
Lena Okamoto is a Tokyo-based textile artist who breathes new life into antique and vintage kimonos through contemporary textile art.
Drawing on a background in Japanese cultural studies and a master’s degree from the University of Tokyo, as well as her certification as a Kimono Meister, her practice is grounded in deep cultural fluency, personal introspection, and a quiet reverence for impermanence.
Through the act of deconstructing and reimagining kimono textiles, Lena explores memory, time, and transformation, allowing inherited materials to speak anew within a contemporary context.
Kimono re-created
“ikasu” means “revive” or “give second life” in Japanese. We re-create antique and vintage kimono and obi to give them second life as pieces of art.
Kimono is often called “wearable art”. Every kimono is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, hand-woven by hands with traditional Japanese technics, hand-pained by kimono artists, decorated with golden threads embroidery and beaten gold. Every piece is unique and represents Japanese traditions carefully kept for over thousand years.
ikasu collaborates with traditional kimono shops to do a research to hand-pick pre-loved kimono and obi that aren’t used as clothes anymore to get them back to piece of art. We use undamaged parts of kimono and work with licensed kimono specialists to introduce them together with their amazing story - craft and dying technics, history, pattern symbols explanation, etc.
ikasu is proud to be the leading creator of kimono canvases and its' promoter around the world.
Please enjoy a touch of authentic Japanese culture in your interior!
Media
Exhibitions
2024/10
Hankyu Umeda
Exhibition at Hankyu Umeda, luxury department store in Osaka, Japan
2024/7
Isetan SALONE
Exhibition in Isetan SALONE, a luxurious space in Roppongi, Tokyo.
2024/6
Daikanyama t-site
Selling exhibition in the biggest bookstore and lifestyle space Daikanyama t-site
2024/5 and 2025/3
World Art Dubai
ikasu was chosen to be a part of one of the biggest international art event - World Art Dubai.
2023/10
Takashimaya
Exhibition and shop at Takashimaya department stores in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and Osaka.
2023/1
Shibuya PARCO
Exhibition at PARCO - one of the biggest department stores in Tokyo, a place where new culture, Japanese culture, Tokyo culture, is kept and created.
2023/1
Japanese Registered Tangible Cultural Property "Nikiya"
Exhibition at Nikiya - a house-museum and restaurant built in Meiji era (late 19th cent.), it's mission is keeping Japanese traditions alive.
2022/5
Art Gallery QUADRO
Our exhibition at QUADRO, an international art gallery in heart of Tokyo that represents artists from around the world.