Keigo Nakamura
中村圭吾
Born in 1984, Japan. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation in 2010. He expresses the conviction of what consists a meaningful life, by traditional approach to modern paintings, often inspired by 17th-20th century French paintings and philosophies. The composition of the light and shadow of candles with toys arranged, symbolically expresses the inner worlds of the artist himself. The custom-designed frames are also integral to the presentation, hand-finished and vintage-turned for each specific painting to be framed. It also signifies “blessing for life” as ornate baroque frames traditionally did. It is an ode to what has been lost to the hustle and bustle of modern mundane.
1984年生まれ。2010年東京藝術大学絵画科油画専攻を卒業。彼の絵画制作の主軸は、17世紀フランス絵画や、哲学などから影響を受けており、「ミニマリズム」「自然回帰主義」「実存主義」など、資本主義的価値観から一歩距離を置いたテーマとなる。画面構成は、蝋燭による光と影の中におもちゃを並べるもので、これを通し内的な世界や言語化が難しい複雑な概念を象徴的に表現している。また、額縁は作品の重要な要素になっており、描かれる「内的な世界」との対として「外的な世界」という象徴的意味を持っていると解釈される。そのデザインは、伝統的なバロックやルネサンスの豪華なものであり、ひとつひとつオーダーメイドで製作される。丁寧に時間をかけて生み出された彼の作品が持つ光には、人生や絵画史そのものを讃える静かなる祈りのような眼差しが秘められてるだろう。
Philosophy
His minimalistic values are reflected in the sizes and colors of his works. The small canvases are usually produced by the artist himself by pasting the canvas onto a wooden frame or panel, adding gesso to distort the dimensions of the ready-made products, is also a way to eliminate the efficiency-oriented message from his creations. The color palette with just four tones is also rigorously derived to further accentuate traditional chiaroscuro technique, which creates his unique warm harmony within the darkness.
The candle-lit shadow-cast composition seen in Keigo Nakamura works are inspired and informed by the pious paintings by 17th century French Baroque painters, Caravaggist. The flame is a natural element that shows primitiveness, which electric light can never contain. By arranging toy motifs around it, the artist’s inner worlds be indirectly and unconsciously projected. This composition of spiritual journey is also inspired by the theory of sand-play therapy devised by 20th-century Swiss Jungian psychologist, Dora Kalfe. His traditional approach to painting is an ode to what has been lost to the hustle and bustle of modern mundane, by experimenting philosophical, compositional, and technical possibilities in the continuing art history.
蝋燭による光と影を主軸としての画面構成は１７世紀フランスの画家「ジョルジュ・ド・ラ・トゥール」が描いていた蝋燭の光による宗教画からインスパイアされました。静物画を通した精神性の表現の可能性は１７世紀の画家「シャルダン」や２０世紀の画家「モランディ」などが示唆していますが、彼らはそれぞれ全く異なる独自の方法で行っています。同様に私の表現も独自の方法によるものです。おもちゃを並べることで間接的な表現を行うという手法は、２０世紀スイスのユング派心理学者「ドラ・カルフ」が考案した「箱庭療法」から着想を得ています。内的な世界や言語化が難しい複雑な概念を象徴的に表現する手段として用いています。私が目指しているのは内的世界の表現であり、絵画の全ての要素を独自の哲学で満たすことです。（中村圭吾）
“Frame is a free and protected space”. Keigo Nakamura always construct his work with frames as an important element that connects to the outside world contrary to the inner worlds he paints. These custom-designed frames are integral to the presentation, hand-finished and vintage-turned for each specific painting to be framed. It also signifies “blessing for life” as ornate baroque frames traditionally did.
額縁は作品の重要な要素になっています。額は作品と外の世界を繋ぐ要素であり、作品の飾られる壁面は「内的な世界」との対として「外的な世界」という象徴的意味を持っていると解釈されます。またそのデザインは、伝統的なバロックやルネサンスの豪華なものであり、人生への祝福の意味も込められています。
Education
2010. Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation, Tokyo, Japan.
Collection
2022 Long Museum Shanghai
Award
2022 "MAGO Gallery Award 2022" Grand Prix
Solo Exhibitions
2022 "Nightlight Shadows" Caelis Galeria/Shanghai,China
Group Exhibitions
2023 "Into the Wild" thinkspace/LA,USA
2022 "ARTIST Way Of Seeing" BoonTheShop/ Korea
2022 "You Had Me At HELLO" Hello Gallery Tokyo/ Tokyo,Japan
2022 "Mago Gallery Award The Group Show" MAGO GALLERY SHIGA / Shiga , Japan
2022 "Childhood Memories" VOLERY GALLERY / Dubai
2021 "SATELLITE VILLAGE" Gallery Ascend / Hongkong
2021 "Connections" Gallery Colorbeat / Seoul ,Korea
Art Fairs
2022 "T.ART CON" /Shanghai,China
2022 " StART Art Fair" COEX Hall/ Seoul , Korea
2022 " Urban Break 2022" COEX Hall/ Seoul , Korea
2022 " 2022 PLAS 7th Art Seoul" COEX Hall/ Seoul , Korea
2022 " 2022 BAMA 11th Busan Annual Market of Art " BEXCO / Busan , Korea
2022 " 2022 SEOUL HOTEL ART FAIR " Intercontinental Seoul COEX / Seoul , Korea
2021 " Art Taipei 2021 " Taipei World Trade Center / Taipei , Taiwan
2021 " WWA ART EXPO " Shaghai , China
2021 " Art Fair Tokyo 2021 " Tokyo , Japan
2021 " Art Tainan 2021 " Shangri-la's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel / Tainan , Taiwan
2021 " One Art Taipei 2021 " The Sherwood Taipei Hotel / Taipei , Taiwan
2020 " One Art Taipei 2020 " The Sherwood Taipei Hotel / Taipei , Taiwan
2019 " Art Formosa 2019” Eslite Hotel / Taipei , Taiwan
2019 " One Art Taipei 2019 " The Sherwood Taipei Hotel / Taipei , Taiwan
2018 " Art Kaohsiung 2018” The Pier-2 Art Center/ Kaohsiung,Taiwan
2018 " Art Formosa 2018” Eslite Hotel / Taipei , Taiwan from ADMIRA Gallery
2017 " Art Kaohsiung 2017” The Pier-2 Art Center/ Kaohsiung,Taiwan
2017 "Young Art Taipei 2017" Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel / Taipei,Taiwan
2016 "Art Kaohsiung 2016” The Pier-2 Art Center/ Kaohsiung,Taiwan
2016 "Formosa Art Show" Humble House Taipei Hotel / Taipei,Taiwan
2016 "Young Art Taipei 2016" Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel / Taipei,Taiwan
2015 "Art Kaohsiung 2015” The Pier-2 Art Center/ Kaohsiung,Taiwan
2015 "Young Art Taipei 2015” Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel / Taipei,Taiwan
2015 " Art Revolution Taipei 2015” Taipei World Trade Center / Taipei , Taiwan
2014 " New City Art Fair” Songshan Cultural And Creative Park / Taipei , Taiwan
2014 "Young Art Taipei 2014” Regent Taipei Hotel / Taipei,Taiwan