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EXHIBITION

Kazumasa Nagai Print Exhibition: “The Song of Life”

  • DATES : Mon. April 2 - Fri. April 27, 2007
  • HOURS : 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays) Closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Admission free.

Kazumasa Nagai today continues to reign among Japan’s leading graphic designers. In 1990 he undertook a major shift in expressive style, launching his “LIFE” series of highly detailed hand-drawn depictions of the animal kingdom. In the past four years he has newly delved into printmaking by etching, applying meticulously executed fine lines to create a panoply of vibrant and robust prints on his lifelong theme, life itself. The upcoming exhibition will showcase Nagai’s recent etched prints in his “LIFE” series. Also on view will be his series of abstract white relief prints for which he received the MOMAT (The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) Award at the 6th International Biennial Exhibition of Prints held in Tokyo in 1968. In this way visitors will enjoy viewing Nagai’s representative prints both old and new, acquiring an overview of his transition from abstract works to highly realistic depictions. In tandem with the exhibition, The Song of Life, a collection of 60 recent etchings with commentary, will be published in early April by Rikuyosha.

Kazumasa Nagai

Kazumasa Nagai was born in Osaka in 1929. In 1960, he became a member of the newly founded Nippon Design Center. Starting in 1966, during his career he has received a host of awards and honors, including a Warsaw International Poster Biennale Gold Prize, International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno Grand Prize, Tokyo ADC Grand Prize, Yusaku Kamekura Design Award, Masaru Katsumi Prize, Mainichi Design Award and Mainichi Art Award. Mr. Nagai has also received several honors from the Japanese Government: the Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts, Medal with Purple Ribbon, and Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.

Exhibition Overview
The exhibition will feature 70 of Kazumasa Nagai’s prints, including approximately 40 new etched prints in his “LIFE” series and relief prints first issued in 1968. Also on display will be his “LIFE” series posters.

Cooperation
Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design

Publication
The Song of Life : Collected Works of Kazumasa Nagai (original title: Seimei no uta)
Publisher: Rikuyosha Co., Ltd.
Publication date: early April 2007*
Specifications: A4 irregular size (W202mm x H257mm) / hard cover / 136 pages / ¥3,360 (tax included)
Book design: Manabu Mizuno
Specially bound edition (containing 2 prints / serially numbered) / 100 copies / ¥57,750* (tax included)
* Subject to change