The digital platform is transforming Japan’s online art ecosystem, bringing artists, collectors and art enthusiasts together in open dialogue
Launched in 2019 by Tokyo’s The Chain Museum, and conceived by entrepreneur and art collector Masamichi Toyama, ArtSticker is a platform that positions itself less as a straightforward online marketplace and more as a social interface where lifestyle, art and community intersect – it reimagines how art circulates in Japan’s digital sphere. Users can follow artists, purchase works or access event tickets and audio guides, but the underlying emphasis is on sustaining relationships between creators and their audiences. Artists on the platform range across mediums including painting, installation, photography and performance. This year ArtSticker was announced as the official partner of international art fairs Tokyo Gendai and Art Jakarta, and will support an exhibition presented by established Tokyo-based galleries. Ahead of Tokyo Gendai, ArtReview caught up with Masamichi Toyama (whose previous and current ventures continue to blur the lines between business and culture), to discuss ArtSticker’s impact on Japan’s contemporary art economy and the future of its infrastructure.
ArtReview Could you tell us about your creative vision and how this came about?
Masamichi Toyama The idea for ArtSticker began to take shape while I was visiting Art Basel in Switzerland in 2017. Works by leading artists priced at $2 million were on view, with collectors and mega-galleries at the centre, the atmosphere almost felt inaccessible to the general public. While the leading tier of artists and galleries plays a pivotal role in shaping the art world, I came to recognise that the story extends beyond them. Furthermore, opportunities to acquire artworks should not be confined to a select few but should be accessible to all. Why shouldn’t everyone have the chance to encounter and collect art? This experience led me to the idea of creating an infrastructure that allows people to encounter contemporary art through digital technology. From there, I decided to build a new platform connecting artists from Japan and Asia with audiences worldwide. This idea of ‘sticking’ art to the world formed the basis of ArtSticker.
AR How do you balance your business ventures with this creative vision?
MT As a collector myself, I have acquired works from about 500 artists. Personally, I see collecting as a way to engage with an artist’s life – not only enjoying their work, but also finding inspiration and comfort in their practice. Japan has an abundance of remarkable artists. Every year, graduation shows at Japanese art universities introduce me to emerging talent. While global audiences are eager to discover Japanese artists, language barriers have sometimes limited their international exposure. That’s why we launched ArtSticker: a platform that connects artists and audiences seamlessly, from discovery to transaction. Through ArtSticker, we are building our own database of contemporary art, developing advanced search and matching functions, and providing a marketplace where transparency and security are guaranteed.
AR What inspired you to start ArtSticker, and how does it differ from other similar platforms?
MT ArtSticker stands out for two key reasons. The first is the high quality and diversity of the artists. Our team includes specialists such as former museum curators and auctioneers, and every artist who registers undergoes a careful review process. The range of registered artists is also extensive. It includes cutting-edge figures based in Europe, such as Yuken Teruya and Umi Ishihara, as well as emerging talents gaining popularity across Asia, such as Kotao Tomozawa and COIN PARKING DELIVERY. Alongside individual artists, both domestic and international galleries take part, introducing gallery-represented names such as Kohei Nawa as well as leading Japanese figures like Daido Moriyama.
The second is ArtSticker’s recognition among art enthusiasts in Japan. We support a wide range of art fairs, from Tokyo Gendai, an international fair, to EASTEAST which features alternative and experimental programmes. Established art festivals, including KYOTOGRAPHIE and the Aichi Triennale, also use ArtSticker for ticket sales and promotion. This has resulted in the platform now attracting nearly 300,000 art enthusiasts. By bringing together diverse artists and a wide audience of art enthusiasts, ArtSticker has become one of the most trusted platforms in Japan’s art world.
AR How does ArtSticker directly connect Japanese artists and their supporters? What are the ways you see this platform evolving in the future?
MT Our vision is to enrich encounters between artists and audiences, making them more impactful and full of unexpected discoveries. The key lies in up-to-date and systematic data. Artists use ArtSticker as a tool to share and archive their portfolios and catalogues, contributing to a continuously evolving database. We continually update our features to make the platform even better.
Art is essentially different from commercial products. Each work can be understood in multiple ways by different viewers and this diversity of interpretations is what makes it compelling. For this reason, we believe that ordinary algorithmic recommendations – such as ‘You like this because it has a red apple on it’ – would fail to resonate with the art enthusiasts. Rather than attempting to fully control a user’s perception, we focus on using data to measure the ‘distance’ from their current interests and to offer encounters that range from the familiar to the unexpected. Currently, we are actively developing new features with both internal and external partners and look forward to releasing updates in the near future.
AR You’re supporting three Japanese galleries for a group presentation during Tokyo Gendai week, a highly commercial and international event. What was your motivation for choosing these three galleries, and why did you decide to curate a joint presentation (as opposed to individual presentations)?
MT Our collaborations with Tomio Koyama Gallery, Taka Ishii Gallery and KOSAKU KANECHIKA reflect our deep respect for their work. Personally, I have met many artists through these galleries and have formed a close relationship with the owners. In the art world, galleries play a vital role in providing some of the strongest support for an artists’ career development.
ArtSticker aims to support not only artists but also those who work closely with them, such as galleries, by assisting with administrative and promotional aspects. We present our initiatives jointly as a member of CADAN (Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon). Japan’s art market has great potential and through a collaborative approach, we aim to amplify Japanese voices internationally.
AR What’s your vision for the future of Japanese art, and what role will ArtSticker play within the arts ecosystem?
MT I believe that Japan is home to many artists capable of inspiring audiences around the world. Yet only a few, such as Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami, have reached international audiences. I suppose this is largely due to language and geographical barriers. We are addressing those barriers with technology. ArtSticker offers free automatic translation into English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese, helping artists reach audiences beyond their own language. ArtSticker also allows registering artworks priced in US dollars and listed with dual standards, making it easier to engage with global audiences. In this way, ArtSticker offers opportunities for artists who might otherwise be unnoticed due to language or geographical limitations, as mentioned earlier.
This vision extends beyond Japan. Galleries and artists from Taiwan, Korea and Thailand have been joining us as we expand internationally. For instance, this year we are collaborating with galleries across South Asia as an official partner of Art Jakarta. At Tokyo Gendai, we also support awards recognising emerging galleries and artists. Looking ahead, we aim to further showcase emerging talent across Asia.
AR Can you tell us about your leadership style and how this has helped you shape ArtSticker’s ethos?
MT I firmly believe that exceptionally talented artists will continue to emerge from Japan and I regard this conviction as a key aspect of leadership. Our team brings experience from museums, art festivals, galleries, art fairs and auction houses, alongside engineers and business specialists. What unites us is a shared belief in the future of artists. Everyone at ArtSticker is also an art enthusiast. We constantly ask ourselves: what kind of service would excite us if we were users? Those daily discussions drive the ongoing development of our platform.
AR Based on your experience and perspective, how do you think Japan’s art and culture scene has developed in the last decade?
MT The Japanese art scene has changed significantly over the past decade. The 2013 exhibition Gutai: Splendid Playground at the Guggenheim Museum marked a turning point in the reevaluation of the Gutai Art Association in the Western world. Since then, there has been growing attention paid in Japan to post-World War II works, and legal frameworks governing the arts have steadily developed. As a result, international art fairs such as Tokyo Gendai have entered the Japanese market and major galleries have established bases in Tokyo.
Nonetheless, Japan’s art infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Opportunities for continuous career development – from emerging artists to mid-career and established figures – are still limited. While this is partly intended to protect artists, it has also led to a somewhat inward-looking community, which presents its own challenges. In this context, ArtSticker takes pride in being Japan’s first platform to respect existing structures while connecting museums, artists, galleries, collectors and art enthusiasts, opening Japan’s art scene to international audiences.
AR What impact do you hope ArtSticker will have on Japan’s art community?
MT There are many artists in Japan who aspire to reach international audiences. We want to provide the infrastructure that lets artists, galleries and users interact with confidence. By enabling more encounters with outstanding talent, we hope to contribute to a sustainable art market. Beyond art enthusiasts, ArtSticker serves clients across various industries, supporting corporate investment in art. For example, in response to requests from companies wishing to display contemporary art in their offices, the platform offers a service that loans works by registered artists. This creates a system through which artists receive a stable, recurring income from corporate clients.
ArtSticker continues to connect art with the world, helping Japanese and Asian talent gain international recognition. As both an entrepreneur and an art enthusiast, it is a privilege to witness the moments when talents from Japan and Asia are discovered on the global stage.
I would be delighted if people explored ArtSticker as a way to discover Japanese artists.
For inquiries about artists or how galleries can utilise ArtSticker, please contact us.
