GR gallery is pleased to present My Screen Tests, the first New York City solo exhibition by Kohei Yamada. The exhibition examines the enduring value of the authentic relationship between artist and artwork, engaging in themes of irony, introspection, and visual metaphor, which draw inspiration from contemporary practice and Yamada’s nuanced admiration for American Pop art.
Presenting a new suite of paintings on canvas -each paired with its esquisse on paper- In My Screen Tests, Yamada searches within New York City’s identity as the art capital of the world in order to infuse his work with a distinct vitality, revealing his admiration for Andy Warhol through motifs referencing the Silver Factory era and its entourage, and evoking tension between a sense of historical prestige and vibrant pop expressions. This interplay initiates a critical conversation between perceptions of art and is worthwhile in examining the creative directions of today’s world.
The opening reception will take place on Friday, May 15 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (Exhibition Dates: May 16 – June 14, 2026). Press members may contact GR gallery for a private viewing and/or interviews with the artist before the exhibition officially starts. Visitors who wish to attend the opening reception may RSVP by contacting the gallery. The artist will participate in the opening reception.
GR gallery, 116 Chambers Street (btw Church & W. Broadway ) New York, NY 10007
My Screen Tests is defined by motivations that comment on the ambiguous nature of art’s true value beyond its creator, while also alluding to Yamada’s need to remain bound to art for the rest of his life. The work also critiques the world’s normalization of deceit and capitalistic greed, alongside a persistent longing for freedom that remains just out of reach. New York City lies at the core of Yamada’s practice, serving as both subject and catalyst for exploring the interplay between personal perception and nostalgia. It also functions as a cultural bridge between American and Japanese influences, tracing the artist’s journey from childhood through his engagement with the legacy of Andy Warhol, as well as other Japanese and American artists. Through a combination of brushwork, abstraction, and figuration, Yamada weaves a narrative rich in contemporary art history, while also confronting the true value of an artist’s existence.
Ther majority the works prepared for My Screen Tests are imbued with references inspired by Warhol’s practice and artistic values, cast against New York City as a hub for experimentation where art meets and even challenges commerce. Repetition and humor are also at the core of the artist’s creative process, adding a wittiness and discipline to his work, while also connecting it on a deeper level to the Pop tradition. Yamada draws upon the city as both muse and stage, invoking a range of artistic influences as main characters, while ultimately revealing each to be a projection of his own identity.
Kohei Yamada (Hokkaido, 1990), based in Japan and graduate with a Masters in painting from the University of Arts Hiroshima, creates works based on his inner self/alter ego. With a heavy influence in pop art and a combination of joy, irony, humor and bold color, he achieves a piece that can act like a mirror to his own person while exploring what it means to create art that both fascinates him and the viewer. During his career, he has experimented with both oil and acrylic paints in search of a medium that is flexible, expressive and allows him to engage in various techniques such as dripping and stippling. In turn, he constructs a rich, vibrant background with highly detailed clothing patterns for his subjects. Yamada’s practice is constantly aiming for more visually complex and sophisticated paintings, leading him to structurally studying each sketch and subject before meticulously applying their color on a larger canvas. He comments on Japanese cyberculture through these contemporary pieces by using a blend of kawaii elements, street/pop styles and a nod to the youth for engaging with their heritage in new creative ways. As he paints, he carefully assigns a personality and a story to his artwork; much like creating a manga or anime character. Each subject strives to be unique and carry a beaming positivity in their colorful dress whilst holding an even gaze with the viewer. Yamada continues to blend modern culture with history through his techniques and paintings and holds an eager outlook of evolving as an artist in an ever changing world. Yamada has exhibited extensively all across Asia among these exhibitions: FUMA Contemporary Tokyo, PARCO, Tokyo, Sogo Museum of Art, K11 Musea, Hong Kong and the M Woods Museum in Beijing.
