FREAKS

GR gallery is pleased to announce FREAKS, an exhibition featuring artists Kazy Chan, Satoru Koizumi and Suanjaya Kencut, and. The show will present a total of 15 artworks, including paintings and sculptures, that bring together three artists whose practices are rooted in storytelling, emotional depth and quirky imagination. This event marks GR gallery’s first exhibition in its new Tribeca location.

The opening reception will take place on Saturday September 13, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The exhibition will run until October 11, 2025. Press members are invited to contact GR gallery to schedule private viewings or interviews with the artists prior to the official opening. Visitors who wish to attend the reception can RSVP by contacting the gallery.

GR gallery, 116 Chambers Street 2F (between Church & W. Broadway) New York, NY, 10007 | [email protected] | tel: +1 917 496 2463 | Wednesday to Saturday, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

With a hauntingly playful spirit, GR gallery invites the viewers into the exhibition ‘FREAKS’ a space to slow down, reconnect with lost memories and step into an uncanny realm of reflection and wonder. The explicit reference to Tod Browning 1932 movie unravels not only the whimsical characters who populate the artists imagery but also the thin line in between tender charm and morbidness, innocence and melacholia, irony and social criticism. Featuring new and recent works by first time collaborating artists Kazy Chan and Satoru Koizumi, and longtime gallery friend, Suanjaya Kencut, the show blends three visionary approaches rooted in local narrative, enigmatic essentia and prime skillfulness.

Through carved wooden figures, dreamlike paintings, and hybrid sculptural forms, each artist presents a unique visual language for exploring emotional landscapes, transformation and memory. Through their aesthetics range from fanciful to contemplative, the works share a quiet intimacy, encouraging the viewers not only to observe, but to reflect about their own -lost- naivety. Koizumi’s carved wooden beings—part human, part animal—are both serene and unsettling, their blank gazes quietly reflecting the disconnection of contemporary life, while deeply rooted in traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Kencut’s soft-eyed doll figures hover between innocence and awareness, enacting silent narratives within staged, everyday moments. Kazy Chan’s enigmatic characters, painted in vibrant hues and soft brushstrokes, inhabit dream-like settings where self-reflection and transformation unfold in tandem.

Set in GR Gallery’s new Tribeca location, the exhibition FREAKS highlights the resonance of memory and the enduring power of visual storytelling. It offers a gentle reminder that art can be joyful and introspective, monotonous but also layered—a moment to pause, and perhaps, to begin again with renewed curiosity and playfulness.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Satoru Koizumi (b. 1983, Japan) is a sculptor known for his carved wooden figures of humans dressed as animals, which quietly probe the emotional and psychological tensions of contemporary life. Featuring childlike faces set against expressions of unease and isolation, his works reflect on the disconnection between modern society and the natural world. Drawing from traditional Japanese wood carving techniques, Koizumi has developed a distinct style that merges classical craftsmanship with a contemporary sensibility. Rendered in muted tones with rough, tactile surfaces, his sculptures reject the polished, hyper-saturated aesthetic of kawaii culture, instead evoking a more somber and reflective mood. Koizumi holds an MA in sculpture from the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts and continues to live and work in Japan.

Suanjaya Kencut (b. 1994, Indonesia) is a visual artist working across painting, sculpture, and installation. Inspired by traditional Balinese art and modern installation practices, he centers his work around doll-like figures that reflect human emotion and daily life. His bold colors and flat compositions evoke a playful yet introspective tone. Kencut’s work has been exhibited in Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia, in both solo and group shows. Notable exhibitions include Repeat (Semarang, 2020) and Indonesia: Kamu Sudah Makan? (Gwangju, 2020). He holds a BFA from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta.

Kazy Chan (b. 1987, Hong Kong) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting and ceramics. Drawing influence from the Superflat movement and Japanese manga, his whimsical figures—often children—inhabit vibrant, imaginary worlds where themes of transformation, memory, and introspection unfold. Using a dry brush technique on textured surfaces, Kazy blurs the lines between painting and sculpture, sometimes integrating his ceramics directly into the canvas. After graduating from the Design Studies program at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Kazy worked in advertising before fully committing to his art. His recent solo show The Twist of a Halo (JPS Gallery, 2024) and interactive exhibition Tomato Sauce (Harbour City, 2021) reflect his evolving exploration of emotion, absurdity, and the inner lives of his characters. Kazy currently lives and works in Hong Kong.

Host or Publisher GR Gallery