紀陽銀行 presents UNKNOWN ASIA 2026

JUDGES

We are pleased to announce the judges and reviewers of this year's UNKNOWN ASIA. Specialists who are active in the forefront of art and creative industry come to this art fair this year from inside and outside of the country. The judges will vote for the Grand Prix. In addition, each judge will prepare personal prizes and supplementary prizes and will support the winners.

  • Masahiko Murakami

    Skeleton Crew Studio, Inc CEO

    PROFILE

    Masahiko Murakami CEO, Skeleton Crew Studio / Board Member, Japan Independent Games Aggregate (JIGA) / Representative Director, Shibuya Asobiba Management Committee Born in 1980. After graduating from a design college in Japan, Murakami moved to the United States at the age of 20. He earned his degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and began his career as a concept artist in the U.S. entertainment industry. Upon returning to Japan, he established his own studio, Skeleton Crew Studio, in Kyoto in 2016. His work spans a wide range of fields, expanding from digital technology—such as game development, VR/AR, and web systems—to urban development and event production. Dedicated to creating environments where creators can freely express themselves and take on new challenges, he co-founded "BitSummit," one of Japan's largest international independent game festivals, and has been a driving force in the Japanese indie scene. In recent years, he has curated and directed "art bit – Contemporary Art & Indie Game Culture," an initiative that bridges the gap between the gaming and contemporary art communities, aiming to merge digital expression with fine art. With extensive experience as a speaker and juror at game and art events worldwide, including in Taiwan, the UK, and Brazil, he continues to contribute to the growth of the global creative scene, with a strong focus on Asia.

  • COMMENT

    We are now living in an age where AI and other technologies are completely reshaping the foundation of creativity. With high-quality images available at the click of a button, the true meaning and value of "human creation" are being challenged like never before. But it’s exactly in times like these that I put my faith in the power of human "creativity." While AI pulls optimized answers from massive data sets, we humans create through beautiful inefficiencies—driven by personal raw impulses, inner conflicts, and unexpected "bugs" that happen by pure chance. How you perceive the world, what stirs your soul, and how you bring that to life—that gritty, unpolished process, along with your own story and willpower behind the artwork, is what truly shakes people's hearts and sparks change in our world. Technology is nothing more than a tool to expand our horizons. The ones who break through into the future are always the humans behind the tools, fueled by boundless curiosity and the imagination to sketch worlds no one has ever seen. UNKNOWN ASIA is a crossroads where incredible, diverse talents collide. I cannot wait to meet creators who trust their own voice and are ready to carve out tomorrow.

    AWARD

    Rather than a fixed prize, this award offers a tailor-made "Opportunity Package" developed through direct dialogue with the winning creator, designed to accelerate their career. (Examples of Opportunities) - Exhibition Space: Opportunities to showcase work at "404 Not Found," a creative community hub in Shibuya, Tokyo. - Event Participation: Opportunities to exhibit or speak at domestic and international indie game or digital art festivals. - Project Collaboration: Opportunities to participate in cutting-edge creative projects led by Skeleton Crew Studio. We will work closely with the winner to find the best platform—spanning art, gaming, technology, and urban spaces—to elevate their unique vision to the next level.

  • Toshimitsu Komoda

    Marco Gallery / IHIRENA Director

    PROFILE

    Since 2020, he has operated Marco Gallery, a gallery and apparel shop originally launched through connections with artist friends. He currently serves as Representative Director of Ihirena, a general incorporated association dedicated to fostering culture through relationships and community-building, while pursuing doctoral research exploring the intersections of art, culture, and economics.

  • COMMENT

    I’m looking forward to seeing something interesting and exciting.

  • Shinpei Okada

    TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY ／ DELTA ／ POOL SIDE GALLERY Gallery Director

    PROFILE

    Born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Since 2014, he has been working at TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, where he is involved in exhibition planning, press relations, and the editing of publications. He also represents the gallery’s artists at domestic and international art fairs. In addition to his gallery activities, he has independently organized and managed numerous exhibitions and art fairs. In 2020, he co-founded DELTA, an art fair based in Osaka, and has since been actively engaged in fostering and revitalizing the local contemporary art scene. Since 2020, he has also been involved in the management and organization of ART OSAKA.

  • COMMENT

    I am delighted to once again have the opportunity to participate in FM802’s longstanding initiative, which has, for many years, discovered and promoted a wide range of creative talents and forms of expression while remaining deeply rooted in music and culture from its base in Osaka. I look forward to encountering artists whose works demonstrate exceptional technical skill and expressive power, supported by clear concepts and distinctive worldviews, as well as individuals who pursue their own unique visions with a commitment that transcends conventional values and expectations.

    AWARD

    Depending on the content and scope of the work, I would be interested in exploring possibilities for future exhibition opportunities as well as consultations regarding participation in commissioned projects.

  • Fandy Susanto

    Sunset Limited Founder and Creative Director

    PROFILE

    Fandy Susanto is primarily known as a graphic designer based in Jakarta, where he operates his studio, Table Six. Since graduating from Swinburne University of Technology in 2006, he has contributed to various design and cultural communities in Indonesia over time. As a designer and artist, he has previously shown his work in several exhibitions and residency programs. He is also the founder of the Sunset Limited and currently creates art under his moniker, Fffandy

  • COMMENT

    I am grateful and honored to be invited as one of the judges again this year. I believe Unknown Asia plays an important role in supporting and connecting the creative community, and I hope to see the event continue to grow and thrive with each passing year.

  • Takeshi Ishikawa

    Skeleton Crew Studio / UNKNOWN ASIA Producer

    PROFILE

    Born in Osaka in 1977. From 1999 to 2017, he served as a faculty member at Osaka Designer College, where he was involved in departmental and institutional management, the establishment of new programs, student guidance, and industry-academia collaboration. Although his primary field of expertise is illustration, he has engaged in cross-disciplinary educational and planning activities, including managing the Special Effects Makeup Department and helping to establish the Figure Sculpture Department in 2015. In 2017, he joined Skeleton Crew Studio, Inc. In addition to company management, he is involved in the planning, production, and operation of diverse projects, including XR, apps, interactive content, and web development. In 2015, he launched “UNKNOWN ASIA,” an art event where domestic and international artists and creators meet to generate new opportunities, and he continues to be involved in its operation today. He is also committed to supporting creators and nurturing the next generation through activities such as managing the indie game event “BitSummit” and planning and organizing student game jams from an educational perspective. He is active as a project member of the “Creator Support Fund” and manages the Shibuya-based space “404 Not Found.” In recent years, while involved in the planning, production, and management of physical events, he has also pursued painting and mural creation as his life’s work. He engages in a wide range of activities spanning art, education, games, food, and local communities. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

  • COMMENT

    I look forward to meeting people who have the potential to create new value in these turbulent times.

    AWARD

    I hope to discuss ways to provide support tailored to creators.

  • TAKANOBU KAWAZOE

    WALL SHARE inc. founder・CEO

    PROFILE

    Founder and CEO of WALL SHARE, a mural production company. Over the past six years, he has produced more than 250 mural projects in collaboration with artists from Japan and around the world.

  • COMMENT

    I’m excited to meet and connect with many talented artists again this year.

    AWARD

    In consultation with the award-winning artist.

  • MAYUMI MATSUBARA

    IN CO.,LTD CEO

    PROFILE

    Coordinating design product and art within spaces.

  • Patamon Nisabodee

    Saratta Space / Unplan Co.,Ltd. Founder & Director

    PROFILE

    Patamon Nisabodee is the Founder and Director of Saratta Space, an independent contemporary art platform based in Bangkok. Working across exhibitions, artist development, cultural programming, and creative entrepreneurship, she is interested in how artists build sustainable practices and meaningful relationships with audiences beyond traditional art world structures. Through Saratta Space, she develops opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists through exhibitions, public programs, site-specific projects, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Her work focuses on supporting distinctive artistic voices while creating accessible entry points for broader public engagement with contemporary art. As a director and cultural entrepreneur, she is particularly drawn to practices that demonstrate a strong sense of authorship, material sensitivity, and the ability to connect personal narratives with wider cultural conversations.

  • AWARD

    Exhibition Opportunity in Bangkok, Thailand

  • Hiro Sugiyama

    Enlightenment artist

    PROFILE

    Hiro Sugiyama is an artist and a Professor at Kyoto University of the Arts. Active primarily in analog painting throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he began producing digital works after co-founding the artist unit Enlightenment in 1997. His solo exhibition “2-Delight” in 2000 introduced his “digital painting” practice and drew international attention. In 2001, he participated in “Superflat” at MOCA, Los Angeles, curated by Takashi Murakami, and has since taken part in numerous museum exhibitions in London, the Bronx, Shanghai, and beyond. Since 2010, Sugiyama has energetically returned to analog painting and continues to exhibit around the world.  

NEWS

NEWS LIST