Junko Ichikawa

Junko Ichikawa was born in Obihiro, Hokkaido, and began practicing piano at the age of four. Transitioning from a life in Japan to the Western world, Junko has dedicated her life to mastering the art of classical music. In 2015, she made an appearance in Ethan Hawke's award-winning documentary, “Seymour: An Introduction” alongside her former teacher and lifelong friend, Seymour Bernstein. With her newfound recognition, Junko took the opportunity to explore campaign ideas for her 2015 Carnegie Hall performance.

↓

Junko Ichikawa takes deep pride in her practice as a classical pianist. With decades of industry experience, she has performed internationally for a copious amount of renowned institutions. Although plenty of her recognition stems from her organic approach to performance, Junko has always referenced the importance of her cultural presence on-stage.

To highlight her debut recital at New York's infamous Carnegie Hall, Junko looked to explore how to define her presence through visual representation and an in-depth brand strategy. By studying the history of Japanese culture, a brand was developed to signify the importance of Junko's tradition, and the sacrifices made transitioning into the Western world.

For her Carnegie Hall performance, photographs were directed to represent her instantaneous placement from Japan to the United States through kimonos placed into an industrial setting. A common element of her design materials reference Ikebana, a Japanese tradition focusing on the symbolic nature of flowers. The poppy is indicative of cultural remembrance and success. Additionally, the aged crimson red of the Japanese flag had been used to represent tradition in both music and culture. As a result, all of these elements play into the livelihood of Junko, allowing her to stand out as both a performer and personality worldwide.