主な個展に「ALGORITHM」（西武渋谷美術画廊、2024）、「THE CORE OF PAINTING, THE ORIGIN OF THOUGHT」（韓国、2023）、「BRAINSTORM」（松坂屋美術画廊、2023）など。銀座 蔦屋書店での個展「藝核一如」（2024）やブランドとの協働など、活動の幅を拡張している。
Minami Ibuki Profile Minami Ibuki (b. 1995, Tokyo) is a contemporary artist based between Japan and the United States. He holds a BFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Since the age of 14, he has pursued a singular question: whether there exists a fundamental “core of art.” This pursuit has led him to develop the concept of “Art Core,” which underpins all of his practice.
At the center of his work is a self-constructed “algorithm”—a system of thought derived from logic, linguistics, and computational structures. Rather than functioning merely as a method, this algorithm operates as a generative diagram of perception itself, translating internal mental processes into visual form.
His notebooks, developed since his teenage years, exceed 4,000 pages and contain diagrams, sketches, and conceptual mappings. Before each work, he undergoes a prolonged period of preparation—ranging from several months to years—constructing a conceptual framework that is later translated onto canvas through layered processes of drawing, material experimentation, and sometimes combustion techniques that create unique textures.
His paintings unfold through graph-based structures that merge geometric order with organic fluctuation. Across series such as Deposition, which explores emotional sedimentation, and ALAC/AB, which emphasizes rational structure, all works ultimately converge toward the notion of “Art Core.”
His practice seeks to make visible what is usually invisible in painting: the cognitive and emotional processes behind abstraction. In this sense, the artwork is not a final product, but the algorithm itself—the code of painting made visible.
Recent solo exhibitions include “ALGORITHM” (Seibu Shibuya Art Gallery, 2024), “THE CORE OF PAINTING, THE ORIGIN OF THOUGHT” (Korea, 2023), and “BRAINSTORM” (Matsuzakaya Art Gallery, 2023). He has also presented work at venues such as Ginza Tsutaya Books, expanding his practice through collaborations and interdisciplinary projects.
His work exists at the intersection of emotion and logic, chance and necessity, abstraction and structure—continuously posing the question: what is art itself?
Hidesaburo Saito began his artistic career as a member of Kyushu-ha, an avantgarde art collective formed in Kyushu in 1957. Operating at a distance from the Tokyo-centered art establishment in postwar Japan, Kyushu-ha developed experimental practices that challenged established values and forms, questioning the very nature of materials and artistic action. Incorporating discarded materials, everyday objects, and even bodily performance, the group expanded the boundaries of art while embedding sharp critiques of society and its time.
Inheriting this spirit, Saito has consistently engaged with the overarching theme of “civilization.” Confronting the anxieties and distortions underlying rapid development, he has explored diverse forms—from two-dimensional works to sculpture and installation—freely traversing mediums in pursuit of new possibilities of expression.
Among his most recognized works are mezzotint prints featuring the familiar motif of cabbage. Through the layered leaves of this everyday subject, Saito reveals a quiet yet incisive perspective on the excesses and fragility of civilization. His works are created using the mezzotint technique, in which the entire copper plate is densely roughened before the image is gradually brought out by scraping. This process, akin to drawing light out of darkness, requires approximately three months for a single piece, embodying a profound accumulation of time, labor, and contemplation.
Saito has also remained deeply engaged with younger generations of artists, actively participating in exhibitions and projects that bring together creators across different age groups. His openness to experimental approaches and his willingness to absorb new sensibilities continue to renew his own artistic language, giving rise to a freshness that transcends age.
Even at the age of 104, Saito continues to devote himself to creation. Having traversed an extraordinary span of time, his unwavering commitment to artistic expression endures—a testament to a deeply rooted and vital desire to create. In an ever-changing world, his pursuit of “freedom” remains unshaken. His works stand as a quiet yet powerful embodiment of that enduring spirit.
Season Lao, born in Macau in 1987, is a contemporary artist currently based in Kyoto. He graduated from Macao Polytechnic University.
In 2009, his video works focusing on local communities in Macau received critical acclaim. This recognition led to a re-evaluation and preservation of historic buildings, including his own birthplace, which had been scheduled for demolition. This experience became a defining moment, revealing to him the potential of art to engage with society.
Later that year, he moved to Japan and spent the following decade based in Hokkaido. There, he developed his artistic inquiry around the concept of Engi (Dependent Co-arising), rooted in Buddhist philosophy. Drawing from natural phenomena such as snow and fog, he explored the idea of the “mutual arising of emptiness and reality,” capturing the subtle interdependence between the visible and the invisible. These works, shaped by the presence of “intervals” and relational space, have been exhibited internationally.
Since 2020, Lao has been based in Kyoto. During the pandemic, he created site-specific installations in locations such as Pure Land Buddhist temple gardens, engaging with the concept of the “included middle.” His works seek to transcend binary oppositions—subject and object, interior and exterior, human and material—by constructing spaces in which these elements coexist simultaneously.
Within his quietly composed environments, perception itself is gently unsettled, guiding the viewer from sensory experience toward contemplation. As boundaries dissolve, his work invites a deeper reflection on how we perceive and relate to the world.
His works are held in major public collections, including Musée des Arts Asiatiques de Nice, Musée Cernuschi, Macau Museum of Art, Chishima Foundation, and Princeton University. In 2023, he held a six-month solo exhibition at the Musée des Arts Asiatiques de Nice to mark its 25th anniversary, further establishing his international presence.
Season Lao’s practice reinterprets Eastern philosophy in a contemporary context, quietly connecting the visible world with unseen relationships. His work opens new ways of perceiving, gently reshaping our understanding of reality.
Chiaki Horikoshi was born in Tokyo in 1948 into a family of painters spanning three generations—his grandfather was a nihonga artist, and his father an art teacher. Surrounded by art from an early age, his sensibility developed naturally within this environment.
In 1969, he entered the oil painting department of Tokyo University of the Arts. During his studies, he was profoundly influenced by the lectures on artistic anatomy by anatomist Shigeo Miki. Miki’s philosophy—grasping the structure of life at its root—became a lifelong foundation for Horikoshi’s work. He completed his graduate studies in 1975.
In 1976, he moved to Spain as a government-sponsored scholar. Based in Madrid, he studied lithography at the National School of Applied Arts while experimenting with various techniques, including tempera painting. He held his first solo exhibition in Madrid in 1980 and continued his activities primarily in Spain. A stay in New York in 1984 exposed him to the New Painting movement in SoHo, marking a major turning point in his artistic development.
His work came to embody a unique world where abstraction and figuration, East and West intersect—expressed through bold brushwork and vibrant colors. Deeply resonating with Spain, he pursued art with an intensity that blurred the boundary between creation and life itself, expanding his practice beyond painting into sculpture, murals, literature, and music.
His deep devotion to flamenco led him to become an accomplished performer of cante flamenco. He developed close ties with the renowned Agujeta family and collaborated with dancer Shoji Kojima on stage productions. His activities extended widely, including a performance at the Fuji Rock Festival in 2004.
From around 1995, he established a base in Saitama, Japan, while continuing to travel between Japan and Spain.
He was also a prolific writer, publishing numerous works such as Die Seeing Beauty and Seven Thousand Nights in Spain. Moving fluidly across art, literature, and music, he left behind a rich body of thought rooted in lived experience.
From the 2000s onward, he continued working between Japan and Spain, expanding into ceramics. In 2014, he was awarded the Encomienda of the Civil Order of Merit by the King of Spain, recognizing his cultural contributions.
He passed away in Madrid in 2016. Spanish newspapers reported his death as that of a master of cante. Horikoshi’s life—crossing painting, music, and language—stands as a testament to a singular truth: that to live and to create are inseparable.
近年、海外からの評価は飛躍的に高まり、オファーは急増。SNSにおいてはフォロワーの大半を海外ユーザーが占めながら、総数は11万人を超えるなど、日本人コンテンポラリーアーティストとしては異例の存在となっている。画家をはじめ、各分野の著名なクリエイターたちがフォロワーに名を連ね、Vogue Hong Kongにおいて「今Instagramでフォローすべき世界の7人のアーティスト」に選出されるなど、その影響力は拡大を続けている。
また2021年には、写真家Nick Knightの招きにより、彼が主宰するSHOWstudioに参加。パリ・コレクションのメンズを題材とした抽象作品を発表し、ファッションとアートの新たな接点を提示した。同年3月には台湾のSOKA ART TAINANにて、日本人画家による二人展「鏡なか鏡」を開催し、国際的な評価をさらに確かなものとした。
Based in Fukuoka, Uzo Hiramatsu has established a distinctive artistic style and built a global following that transcends borders. Grounded in traditional Japanese pigments used in nihonga, his work is defined by an exceptionally delicate and meticulous technique, resulting in compositions that are both quiet and powerfully present.
His practice spans a wide range of expressions: spontaneous drawings that capture fleeting phenomena, floral series rendered with gentle colors and subtle touches, and abstract works inspired by the Heart Sutra. Despite their diversity, these works consistently reflect a quiet inquiry into the relationship between inner consciousness and the external world. Particularly among international collectors familiar with Western art traditions, his work is often recognized for embodying the uniquely Japanese sensibility of wabi-sabi.
In recent years, international recognition has grown rapidly, leading to an increasing number of global opportunities. While the majority of his audience on social media comes from abroad, his following has surpassed 110,000—an exceptional presence among Japanese contemporary artists. His audience includes prominent painters and creatives across disciplines, and he was selected by Vogue Hong Kong as one of the “7 Artists to Follow on Instagram Worldwide.”
After establishing his career as an illustrator, Hiramatsu transitioned into fine art. His activities now extend across various fields, including solo exhibitions at Zen temples, participation in international art fairs, and live painting performances. For the renewal of Louis Vuitton at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, he created a work for the VIP room at the request of a Paris-based architect.
In 2021, he was invited by photographer Nick Knight to participate in SHOWstudio, where he presented abstract works inspired by the Paris men’s collections, exploring new intersections between art and fashion. In the same year, he held a two-person exhibition titled “Mirror within Mirror” at SOKA ART TAINAN, further solidifying his international presence.
Bridging Eastern spirituality with a contemporary sensibility, Uzo Hiramatsu’s work continues to expand quietly across the world, resonating deeply beyond cultural and linguistic boundaries.
In recent years, Susumu Takashima has seen a remarkable rise in both recognition and popularity on the international stage, a momentum that continues to grow. His works are held in major collections such as the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and Aman Residences in Dubai, attracting attention from collectors and global celebrities alike. Underlying this acclaim is his ability to transcend the divide between the Japanese notion of “art” and the global concept of “ART,” where asset value and international evaluation are emphasized, elevating his work to a truly global standard.
This growing recognition extends beyond the success of a single artist. Takashima’s presence is reshaping how art is perceived in Japan, contributing to the revitalization of the domestic art market. By fostering a deeper understanding of art’s asset value and international relevance, his work suggests the potential for structural transformation within Japan’s art ecosystem.
At the core of Takashima’s practice lies a radical originality. Moving beyond the traditional notion of expressing an artist’s inner image, he has established a methodology that transforms the material process itself into the work. His paintings emerge through the repetition and accumulation of lines produced by the gradual wear of brushes and pencils. These subtle variations in density and thickness form organic structures across the surface, reminiscent of mountain ridgelines—what might be described as “crystallizations of lines.” The result is a visual language so distinctive that it is instantly recognizable.
Moreover, by entrusting the choice of color to dice, Takashima removes intentional control, incorporating chance into his process and opening new possibilities in painting. The extraordinary density of lines—so intricate that they invite viewing through a magnifying glass—reveals an extreme refinement rooted in a distinctly Japanese sensibility.
One of the defining qualities of his work lies in its “irreproducibility” and the intensity of its visual experience. Formed through the accumulation of time, his works possess a material presence that cannot be replicated digitally, offering collectors a uniquely elevated value. This rarity further enhances his standing in the international art market.
Takashima’s practice originates in a childhood fascination with line and has been shaped through over half a century of continuous exploration. His approach resonates with the principles of minimalism found in the music of Steve Reich and John Cage.
Beyond its artistic significance, his work also points toward broader cultural and economic implications. By connecting Japanese cultural assets to the global market, Takashima’s practice suggests new possibilities for expanding the economic dimension of art and redefining the relationship between culture and economy.
Marie Higashi was born in 1991 in Nagasaki, Japan. After graduating from Sasebo Nursing School in 2012, she began her career as a medical professional. During this time, she found herself overwhelmed by an inescapable sense of inner conflict and emotional turmoil—an experience that ultimately led her toward artistic creation. With little prior exposure to art, she began painting independently, and what started as a necessity gradually became an essential act of living.
She began presenting her work around 2018, and it quickly gained recognition beyond Japan, reaching audiences in Korea, Taiwan, London, and Switzerland. Through art fairs and exhibitions, her practice continues to expand internationally, receiving strong resonance and acclaim.
At the core of her work lies her experience as a nurse. Encounters with life and death—particularly in emergency care and operating rooms—left a profound imprint on her perception. Witnessing the astonishing precision and fragility of the human body, as well as the processes of healing and decline, she came to perceive life as something intensely vivid. These experiences continue to shape her artistic vision.
Her works are built through a process of layering and removal. Using materials such as coal tar, pigments, charcoal, animal glue, and even tea, she constructs surfaces by repeatedly applying, scraping, and eroding. Scars, traces, and voids are not flaws but essential elements of expression. This process embodies a continuous cycle of destruction and regeneration, echoing Japanese aesthetics such as wabisabi and mono no aware.
Higashi’s work explores the coexistence of seemingly opposing forces—good and evil, beauty and ugliness, life and death. Rather than separating them, she embraces their contradictions, seeking to express a reality that cannot be reduced to simple binaries. Her paintings possess a strong presence while maintaining a quiet softness, gently resonating with the viewer’s inner world.
She states: “All creation is a ‘record to be remembered,’ left behind by humanity with its soul.” For Higashi, painting is a process of understanding, unraveling, and ultimately forgiving oneself. It is also a means of encountering something beyond the self—an experience both liberating and unknown.
Her exploration continues to unfold. Through her abstract expressions, she evokes latent memories and emotions within the viewer, connecting individual experience to a broader existence.
“Beauty is not only what is pristine. Life is fragile and fleeting, yet at the same time vivid, untamed, and powerful.” In her work, one senses a quiet affirmation of this complex and often harsh world-revealing life as it truly is.
In 2019, Kazuki Torigoe was awarded the Grand Prize at the “Ei Exhibition,” organized by the Tagawa Art Museum, selected unanimously by the jury from over 600 applicants. Thisestablished him as one of the most promising emerging artists of his generation.
Characterized by a powerful material presence and a commanding visual impact, his works have gained recognition not only in Japan but increasingly across Asia, particularly in Taiwan. His inclusion in a development project in Kaohsiung marked the beginning of a growing international collection. Utilizing a wide range of materials—including coal tar, plaster, diatomaceous earth, soot, pigments, and beeswax—Torigoe creates works that firmly anchor materiality itself onto the pictorial surface, embodying both physicality and the accumulation of time.
In an age where contemporary art is often subsumed by trends and market forces, Torigoe’s work quietly restores a sense of fundamental artistic power. His works pose subtle yet profound questions to viewers, inviting a dynamic exchange between perception and thought. Despite their strong presence, they are never oppressive; rather, they hold within them a sense of openness and softness.
At the core of his practice lies not only the act of expression, but an acute awareness of reception. The internal responses and memories that arise through encountering his works—and the oscillation between artwork and viewer—constitute, for him, the very essence of art.
From this inquiry emerged his series beyond the stroke. Transcending the limits of the brushstroke, it incorporates the fluidity of water and elements of chance, reconstructing time and space within the work. In Chinese-speaking regions, it has come to be referred to as “超越筆畫” (Beyond Brushstrokes). These works manifest as singular images that leave a lasting imprint on the viewer’s inner depths.
Torigoe states, “All creation is a ‘record to be remembered,’ left behind by humanity with its soul.” Through his works, viewers encounter the accumulation of time and the traces of human existence on a deeply sensory level.
In 2022, he was featured in Bijutsu Techo as an artist “evoking the lineage of Kyushu-ha.” While grounded in a deep respect and study of postwar avant-garde art, Torigoe continues to push forward his own expression, as if driving a new wedge into the course of history.
His abstract works awaken latent memories within the viewer and connect individual perception to a broader world. Within them resides his quiet aspiration: “to become a single drop that connects to the world.”
In 2026, his work was selected for a major development project near the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts by Young Der Construction. Within the residential complex, the “Young Der Art Museum,” dedicated to housing Torigoe’s collection, was completed—marking a further expansion of his practice across regional and international contexts.