
JINYA YAMAKAWA
Jinya Yamakawa (山川仁也, born 1998) is an artist & creative director, and the founder of JESSO CREATIVES. Raised in Hawaii and a graduate of an international school in Tokyo, he made his debut as a racing driver at a young age, competing on both domestic and international circuits. The focus and decisiveness he honed on the world stage of motorsport would later become integral to his creative vision and leadership. After an injury brought his racing career to an end, he shifted his path toward art, studying Fine Art at the Parsons School of Design in New York. He graduated in 2020 and began his journey onto the global stage.
He has collaborated with world-renowned partners such as Marc Jacobs, Dr. Martens, mastermind, PEACHES, and F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda, bringing a unique approach that merges art and brand, tradition and modernity. Spanning custom artworks, branding, spatial design, and product creation, his multi-layered practice goes beyond visual decoration, deepening each brand’s philosophy and storytelling through art.
As an artist, Yamakawa’s work is anchored in the recurring theme of "MELTDOWN." This concept dissolves the boundaries between subject and background, reality and memory, emotion and material—combining striking visuals with thought-provoking narratives to leave room for the viewer’s own interpretation. His paintings and installations transcend pure aesthetics, generating new meaning within brand culture and popular culture alike.
As a leader, he has grown JESSO CREATIVES into a creative platform and cultural laboratory. By building networks with young talents across diverse disciplines, he provides direction for each to shine on the global stage while fostering collaborations that create a greater cultural resonance.
2016 - Shirogumi.inc Story Editor
2017 - Clear Edition & Gallery Artist Assistant
2017 - 2019 - MADSAKI Artist Assistant
2020 - JESSO.inc Chief Executive Officer
2022 - MELTDOWN TOKYO EXHIBITION EVENT
2023 - SOLO EXHIBITION “FIRST OR LAST”, Seoul
2024 - MESS SEOUL Art Exhibition, Seoul
2024 - “Calculated Risk”, Marc Jacobs Japan, Tokyo
2024 - COMPLEXCON, Hong Kong
2024 - “SCHOOL OF ROCK”, Gallery Stan, Los Angeles
2024 - ART BUSAN Exhibition, Busan
2024 - Dr. Martens Collaboration, Tokyo
2024 - SOLO EXHIBITION “HIGH WALL” at Gallery Stan, Seoul
2024 - “Alter Ego Era” The Stan Pangyo Exhibition
2024 - FRIEZE + KIAF Seoul Exhibition with Gallery Stan
2024 - RESCENE x Jinya Yamakawa Collaboration
2024 - MESS SEOUL Vol.2, Seoul [HERA x Jinya Yamakawa]
2024 - Peaches Japan x Jinya Yamakawa Collaboration
2025 - Yuki Tsunoda Creative Director
2025 - Yuki Tsunoda x JINYA YAMAKAWA [Venti Due]
2025 - Mastermind x JINYA YAMAKAWA
2025 - TIMEFLIK x JINYA YAMAKAWA