GAN PROJECT        sari@ganproject.art         6-5-38 Akasaka Unit 510, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, 107-0052
From GAN to the world,
A bridge to the global stage
.


The power of art to connect the future

GAN PROJECT Inc. is a contemporary art initiative inspired by the legacy of Akira Ishino and GALLERYGAN, originally founded in Ginza in 1995. Known for discovering and supporting emerging artists, Ishino brought fresh perspectives to the global art scene through exhibitions across Japan and abroad. His contributions earned him prestigious honors and deep respect within the international art community.

Continuing this spirit, GAN PROJECT is committed to discovering and nurturing artists while promoting “marketable contemporary art” across a growing global network. Marking the first anniversary of Ishino’s passing, the project has expanded its platform to showcase a diverse range of talent from Japan and beyond—supporting boundary-pushing creativity and shaping the future of art for a new generation.














































History
1995

Gallery GAN was established in Ginza, Tokyo.

From October 6 to November 10, the gallery organized the exhibition École de Nice at the Meguro-ku Museum.
In recognition of its contributions to French art, the gallery received the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Citoyens Honoraires from the city of Saint-Émilion, France.

1996
Awarded the Grand Prize of the 8th Praemium Imperiale Prize for World Culture.
Gallery GAN represented French artist César Baldaccini—under exclusive sales rights in Japan—at the award ceremony.

1997
Expanded internationally with the opening of galleries in Los Angeles and Paris, and co-managed a gallery in New York.

2000
Opened a sales gallery, Jardin Desarle, in Harajuku, Tokyo.
Launched East Greenwich, a specialty store for antique watches.

2001
Relocated the main gallery to Aoyama, Tokyo.
Began presenting special exhibitions focused on emerging and mid-career artists.

2020
Opened g.art field gallery in Akasaka, Tokyo—a creative space dedicated to supporting young and undiscovered artists.

2024
Following the first anniversary of founder Akira Ishino’s passing, GAN PROJECT was launched to carry forward his vision and legacy.

Additional Honors
Founder Akira Ishino was also awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, the Order of Sports Merit, and the Order of Friendship from the Republic of Cuba, in recognition of his contributions to the arts, sports, and cultural exchange.

Other artists that we worked with:
César Baldaccini
Vik Muniz
Toshimitsu Imai
Ben Vautier
and more...
Current Exhibition
JMC, inside the International Departures area of Haneda Airport Terminal 3



■ポップアップストア概要

・イベント名:時間旅⾏(TIME TRAVEL)― The Amazing Japanese Art ―

・開催期間:2025年月8月20日(水)~9月15日(月・祝)

・会場:羽田空港第3ターミナル 出国エリア内 JMC※第3ターミナルよりご搭乗のお客さまのみご利用いただけます
・営業時間:7:00~23:00
・主催:JMC ・共催:株式会社GAN Project、株式会社アートダッシュ・トウキョウ

Pop-up Store Overview

• Event Title: TIME TRAVEL — The Amazing Japanese Art

• Dates: August 20 (Wed) – September 15 (Mon, national holiday), 2025

• Venue: JMC, inside the International Departures area of Haneda Airport Terminal 3
 
Available only to passengers departing from Terminal 3.

• Hours: 7:00–23:00

• Organizer: JMC • Co-organizers: GAN Project Co., Ltd.; Art Dash Tokyo Co., Ltd.

Fusion with a Contemporary Gaze: A showcase of contemporary art recommended by GAN Project

現代のまなざしとの融合:GAN Project推薦作家による現代アートの展示

伝統と革新が交差する現代アートの祭典。磯部光太郎の日本画、海野良太の現代風俗画、三宅哲平の地層アート、松井宏之の備前焼、長谷川理恵の抽象作品など、多彩な5名の作家が集結。今を映し、未来へ受け継がれる“日本の美”を羽田空港から世界へ発信します。

(下記2人の作家をピックアップしてご紹介します)

A meeting point of tradition and innovation. Five diverse artists come together, including Kotaro Isobe (Nihonga), Ryota Unno (contemporary fūzokuga), Teppei Miyake (stratigraphy-inspired works), Hiroyuki Matsui (Bizen ware), and Rie Hasegawa (abstract pieces). From Haneda Airport to the world, we present “the beauty of Japan” as seen today and carried into the future.

Tokihiro Sato
Contemporary Artist
佐藤時啓

Photographer

He is a Japanese photographer and contemporary artist widely known for his work exploring the concepts of light and time.

Gaining attention through his distinctive use of pinhole cameras and his “Light Traces” series—capturing layered exposures over time—he presents light itself as the subject of his art. Through this unique approach, he seamlessly blends visual beauty with the passage of time, offering a fresh perspective on how we perceive reality.

His work transcends mere visual experience, inviting viewers into a deeper, philosophical contemplation of time’s flow.

Highly acclaimed in exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, his art has established a unique and influential presence in the realm of contemporary art.

Kenji Sato
佐藤 健司

Contemporary Artist

Kenji Sato is not only a renowned makeup artist but also a painter who pursues his own unique form of artistic expression.

His paintings utilize his expertise in makeup to meticulously portray light and shadow, creating spaces
that are both realistic and fantastical. With delicate brushwork and bold use of color, his works leave a
lasting impression and possess a powerful energy that transcends the boundaries between visual art and fashion.

Sato’s career as a makeup artist is equally remarkable. He has been responsible for the visual styling of numerous internationally acclaimed artists such as Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, EXILE, SMAP, and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

Widely recognized in the film and music industries for his exceptional skill and aesthetic sense, Sato continues to explore new possibilities in visual art through both makeup and painting, breaking ground in how we experience beauty and expression.

Kotaro Isobe


磯部 光太郎

Contemporary Artist

Kotaro Isobe creates works centered around the theme of “the habitat of living creatures,” depicting the delicate activities of nature. He focuses on the small creatures that exist within human habitats—such as the insects that gather around flowers, the frogs and dragonflies that inhabit ponds and rice fields—and beautifully expresses their coexistence.

Using traditional Japanese painting techniques, Isobe captures the fleeting breath of nature with meticulous attention to detail. His works go beyond mere realism, emphasizing the harmony of life unfolding within nature. Isobe’s paintings evoke a quiet yet powerful energy of life, offering a profound connection to the natural world. They not only remind viewers of the importance of this connection but also leave them with a deep sense of emotional impact.

Ryota Unno


海野 良太


Contemporary Artist

Ryota Unno is a Japanese contemporary artist whose work centers around digital art and interactive installations.

His art explores the relationship between technology and humanity, as well as the fusion of the digital and physical worlds. Through visually striking aesthetics combined with philosophical inquiry, his pieces offer viewers a fresh perspective on the nature of experience and perception.

Unno is particularly recognized for his innovative use of AI and algorithmic processes in art, skillfully balancing technology and emotional sensitivity to create works that engage not only the eye but also the mind.

Actively participating in exhibitions and projects both in Japan and internationally, he is constantly seeking new modes of expression. His works transcend passive viewing, redefining the power of art through interaction, dialogue, and immersive experience.

Teppei Miyake

三宅 哲平



Contemporary Artist

Teppei Miyake is the founder of “The New Funeral Workshop”, and a contemporary artist who proposes innovative burial practices suited to modern life.

Through his highly refined painting techniques, Miyake explores the theme of death with deep philosophical insight, while seeking to create new traditions that can be passed on to future generations.

His proposals include in-home memorial graves that allow loved ones to feel close to the deceased, as well as memorial portrait paintings imbued with personal memories of the departed. By doing so, he aims to preserve emotional bonds beyond death and reshape burial culture in a way that aligns with contemporary lifestyles.

Miyake’s work redefines the connection between the living and the dead, offering a new perspective on the afterlife through profound, thought-provoking art. His practice challenges societal norms and opens the door to a future where remembrance and ritual are transformed into intimate, lasting experiences.


Kaoru Akagawa

赤川 薫



Contemporary Artist

Kaoru Akagawa is a contemporary artist born in Canada, whose work is rooted in the traditional Japanese art of kana calligraphy. Drawing from this cultural heritage, she creates multicultural pieces that blend the refined beauty of kana with Western artistic elements.

Her practice explores a unique artistic language where different cultures intersect, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional calligraphy. While honoring the classical aesthetics of shodo, she reimagines them through a modern lens, giving rise to new forms of artistic expression.

Akagawa’s work redefines Japanese beauty within a global context and has received wide acclaim both in Japan and internationally.


Rie Hasegawa

長谷川 理恵



Contemporary Artist

Rie Hasegawa explores free and intuitive expression through the use of alcohol ink art and modeling paste.

Her works possess a depth reminiscent of oil paintings, while creating unique textures and a distinct sense of dimension.

Her artistic journey began around the time she started practicing meditation. In creating from a place of calm and stillness, she discovered the joy of shaping her inner world — a joy that continues to fuel her creative drive.

Each piece emerges from inspiration, without preconception or planning. The result is a spontaneous beauty that surprises even the artist herself. Many of her works carry a light and playful charm, often expressed through small, round canvases that naturally blend into their surroundings.

It is this free-spirited and sensory approach that gives her art its unique appeal. Hasegawa describes her creative process as a reflection of her most authentic self: “What I create in a state of no-mind is the purest expression of who I am.”


Hiroyuki Matsui

松井 宏之



Contemporary Artist

Hiroyuki Matsui is a ceramic artist who honors traditional pottery while embracing a contemporary sensibility, creating a unique and evolving artistic style.

His works are defined by a deep respect for the warmth and texture of clay, characterized by simple yet powerful forms. With a profound understanding of glazes and firing techniques, he explores natural materials to express the inherent beauty of earth and fire.

He is also one of the few disciples of Tōgaku Mori in Japan today who can craft authentic large jars, such as the ‘sanseki-game’ (three-stone jar). In the past, he created a piece that stood 100 cm tall, measured 80 cm in diameter, and weighed 120 kg.

Matsui aims to draw out the intrinsic vitality of ceramics, creating pieces that evoke warmth and presence for those who hold them. His work conveys a quiet elegance and invites the viewer to feel the limitless expressive potential of pottery — not only as fine art, but as objects that seamlessly blend into everyday life.

Anton Molnar

アントン・モルナール




Contemporary Artist

Anton Molnár is an artist who has transformed the chaotic aspects of contemporary society and culture, along with the fluctuating emotions within them, into his work based on his own lived experiences. His practice focuses on capturing the atmosphere of his life during the late 19th century and the following years, attempting to translate this into the language of art. This approach has become the core of his creative process. His expressions often involve delicate painting techniques and symbolism, quietly posing questions to the viewer.

For Molnár, art is already a “means of life”—it transcends mere creation, becoming a way of living itself. While embedding his emotions and opinions into his works, he maintains the stance that interpretations and evaluations should be left open to the viewer’s freedom. His pieces, which unfold various narratives and meanings depending on the observer, quietly and deeply enter the hearts of those who engage with them.