10 leading artists to look out for at Tokyo Gendai art fair in Yokohama

Spanish contemporary artist Javier Calleja is known for his instantly recognisable works featuring wide-eyed characters with exaggerated proportions. Calleja will be represented by established gallery Nanzuka Underground, with his appearance at Tokyo Gendai adding to his repertoire of art fairs, which include Art Basel and other major expositions.

Multidisciplinary artist Kohei Nawa is best known for his sculptures that explore various materials and technology. Nawa is also the founder of Sandwich, a creative platform for sculpture production, and has shared his work at prominent galleries around the world. In addition to showcasing with Scai the Bathhouse, Nawa will be taking part in Tokyo Gendai’s art programmes with a talk session.

British-Japanese artist Simon Fujiwara creates everything from paintings and installations to films and sculptures. Aside from his upcoming showcase at Tokyo Gendai, Fujiwara's artworks have appeared at prominent museums and galleries like the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Tate Modern in London. Look forward to catching his works at Tokyo Gendai under Taro Nasu gallery.

Sundaram Tagore Gallery is representing New York-based painter Hiroshi Senju at Tokyo Gendai. Senju is known for his waterfall and cliff paintings that are rooted in elements of abstract expressionism and traditional Japanese painting. Senju has also collaborated with digital art collective teamLab and has showcased works at World Heritage Sites in Japan.

Contemporary artist Noritaka Tatehana might be best known for his eclectic shoe designs, including his famed ‘heel-less shoes’, but he also dabbles in other mediums including three-dimensional paintings and collaborations with traditional Japanese artisans. His works will be showcased with Kosaku Kanechika gallery at the upcoming art fair.

German artist Anselm Reyle is appearing at Tokyo Gendai with Spurs Gallery, one of China’s leading contemporary art galleries. Reyle is recognised for his large-scale abstract paintings, sculptures and installations that often incorporate neon elements.

Acclaimed German painter and sculptor Imi Knoebel will be represented by Australian gallery Fox Jensen at this year’s fair. Knoebel's works have been shared and appreciated at major museums and sites across the globe including New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims in France.

New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery is presenting Nigerian-American artist Toyin Ojih Odutola at Tokyo Gendai. Odutola is renowned for her multimedia drawings and works done simply on paper with materials like ballpoint pens, pencils, pastels and charcoal. Her works are inspired by art history, pop culture and her own personal history.

Based in Ireland and Japan, contemporary artist Atsushi Kaga works mostly with paintings that incorporate elements of Western art, history, philosophy, Celtic culture and Japanese paint techniques. Kaga is represented by Tokyo’s Maho Kubota Gallery.

Sadamasa Motonaga was a Japanese visual artist known for his involvement in the postwar Gutai Art Association movement, whose goal was to break away from Japan's traditional techniques and art forms and make way for new forms of art. You’ll be able to catch Motonaga’s works with Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery.