hpgrp Gallery has moved from Chelsea to 434 Greenwich, in the former space on Vestry where Museum Editions/M+E Gallery used to be. It’s part of H.P. France, a Japanese company (H.P. stands for Harajuku Projects) that began with French fashion boutiques in Japan before branching out to all sort of lifestyle businesses—including trade shows, public relations, branding, and art.

Director Kentaro Totsuka started with H.P. France’s trade show group in 2004, then launched an art division. There had been a small gallery inside an H.P. France boutique in the Meatpacking District, which eventually moved—without the boutique—to Chelsea. Meanwhile, H.P. France focused on art fairs and events, including the New City Art Fair to showcase emerging Japanese artists.

Totsuka came upon the Tribeca space, which is around 1,000 square feet, by asking around: “I think a friend of a friend of a friend recommended it,” he said. The gallery will show contemporary Japanese artists working in various media; the inaugural exhibit consists of paintings by Noritake Kinashi, a comedic actor who is famous in Japan.

hpgrp Gallery is at 434 Greenwich (enter at 49 Vestry), hpgrpgallery.com.

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