Hiroshi Nagao solo exhibition “Wild Thought”

October 20th (Friday) – November 2nd (Thursday), 2023

YUGEN Gallery will be holding Nagao Hiroshi's solo exhibition "Wild Thought" from Friday, October 20th to Thursday, November 2nd.

"Have you ever heard a wise man say that everything in the future exists in the past?" (Capote, Faraway Voices, Faraway Rooms, translated by Ichiro Kono, Shincho Bunko)

Exhibition Information

会場

YUGEN Gallery
東京都港区南青山3-1-31  KD南青山ビル4F

Dates

October 20th (Friday) – November 2nd (Thursday), 2023

開館時間

平日:13:00〜19:00
初日・土日祝:13:00〜20:00
※最終日のみ17:00終了

休館日

なし

Date of presence

October 20th (Friday), 21st (Saturday), 28th (Saturday), 29th (Sunday), November 2nd (Thursday)

入館料

無料

Notes

*Please note that the dates and opening hours may change without notice depending on the situation.

Exhibited works images

*Please note that some of the exhibited works may be subject to change.

Hiroshi Nagao - About the Artist Talk

For more information

Information on special offers for visitors

We will give away a free original art book to those who fill out the questionnaire upon arrival.

This is an original art book exclusive to this exhibition, compiling the exhibited works and the exhibition statement in one volume.

Hiroshi Nagao solo exhibition "Wild Thought" art book

Artists included: Hiroshi Nagao B4 variant / Price: 1,650 yen (tax included)

*Please note that the design of the art book may be subject to change.

Statement

The culmination of 10 years of creative work

"Wonder Tribe Namibia" depicts "indigenous fantasy characters" based on the Himba and Herero peoples of Namibia, and "Lion Dance" is based on the Japanese lion dance. And works depicting insects, which have been symbols of good luck and good fortune since ancient times. These images are formed from luxury fashion house monograms, articles cut out from fashion magazines, and dot patterns hand-drawn with markers. Nagao Hiroshi is a collage artist who brings out the customs, rituals, and natural objects of unknown worlds using "whatever" materials. His works are handled by Western galleries such as Mirus Gallery in Los Angeles, USA, and Lechbinska Gallery in Zurich, Switzerland, and his fans include DJ Black Coffee, music producer, and rapper Swizz Beatz.

This exhibition, "Wild Thought," is a culmination of Nagao's creative work spanning more than 10 years, and features approximately 25 pieces, ranging from his earliest works from around 2012, when he was based in Germany, to his latest works. The works will be on display alongside photographs he took during fieldwork in various countries around the world that he has undertaken in conjunction with the creation of his works.

Nagao Hiroshi was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1981. He was fond of art and crafts from an early age, studied design at the Visual Communication Department of Nagoya Zokei University, and worked as a graphic designer after graduating. He also produced artworks at the same time, and in 2005 he distinguished himself by being selected for the Uniqlo Creative Award 2005*. He gained more recognition at art fairs overseas than in Japan, and after a successful solo exhibition in Hong Kong in 2009, he moved to Berlin, Germany in 2012 and began working full-time as an artist.

*Uniqlo Creative Award: currently called UTGP

Expressing primitive aesthetics and thoughts

In Europe, art is deeply rooted in everyday life, and while he feels fulfilled as an artist, he is also confronted with the fact that he is an "other" in a society where "diverse races are roaming about." This leads him to constantly question his identity: why he aspires to become an artist, why he uses collage as a technique, and who he is.

Who am I? And why do European and American values ​​still hold absolute standards? He says that he became "tremendously" interested in identity. In order to experience places outside the West, places where pre-modern cultures remain, he visited Mexico in 2016, and then traveled to Namibia, Mongolia, and India, where he conducted fieldwork living with indigenous tribes.

"Through my travels and fieldwork, I discovered unique aesthetic sensibilities, values, and cultures. At the same time, I witnessed how the spiritual foundations of the local people were being lost due to internationalization and resource exploitation, and I felt a sense of crisis that their diverse and unique cultures might end up existing only behind glass cases in museums. Aren't we ourselves the tribes that seem to be in danger of disappearing?"

The theme Nagao found was "We are the indigenous people of the future." What will we leave to our future generations as people living in the present? He asks. The theme of "others" has emerged in the world of contemporary art since the 1990s. A trend of multiculturalism has emerged that questions values ​​centered on America and Europe and accesses non-Western and minorities, and many artists have emerged who incorporate fieldwork in non-Western regions based on cultural anthropology and folklore into their artwork. In the 2020s, when keywords such as "others" and multiculturalism are becoming more prominent once again, Nagao can be said to be part of that lineage.

A timeless symbol

The exhibition, "Wild Thought," is named after the book of the same name by French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. Lévi-Strauss reported that non-Western indigenous peoples, who were considered crude "savages" by modern Western scientific thinking, have their own systematization of natural phenomena, plants and animals. He distinguished their way of thinking from modern science, calling it the "science of the concrete," and explained it by likening it to "bricolage." Bricolage is the process of making something with tools and materials that are "available" at the time and place, rather than something that is planned in advance. Nagao has determined the identity of his own creative method, collage, and creates works using a variety of materials, including old magazines, thread, cloth, driftwood, and sometimes basketball goal nets, while also taking into account modern procedures such as copy machines from 24-hour convenience stores and online shopping. All of the available tools and materials have their own uses, and exist as "symbols" such as products and logos. In bricolage, symbols are repurposed, transformed, and rearranged in new ways, mocking conventional wisdom and sometimes revealing their presence with destructive impact. A punk's safety pin, a black cat aiming for a society based on mutual aid, an umbrella to protect democracy... We will continue to express our opinions with symbols in the future.

Nagao also rearranges symbols, expressing people who live indigenous lifestyles and monsters such as Tengu and Oni as symbols of "the primordial intuition, aesthetic sense, and thoughts that are engraved within us." He says that this can be a great hint for surviving in this turbulent era. The instincts and ethnicity that lie dormant within us, which must not be surrendered to technology or modern systems, emerge from Nagao's bricolage.

YUGEN Gallery will be hosting Yoh Nagao's solo exhibition, "Wild Thought" from October 20th (Fri) to November 2nd (Thu).

'Have you ever heard the words of a wise man? Everything in the future exists in the past.' (Capote, translated by Ichiro Kono, "Other Voices,Other Rooms" / Shincho Bunko)


The culmination of 10 years of creation

Yoh Nagao, a collage artist, draws inspiration from Namibia's Himba and Herero tribes, creating "indigenous imaginary figures" in works like "Wonder Tribe Namibia." He also explores the theme of Japan's lion dance and depicts insects, symbols of fortune and auspice since ancient times. These images are formed using materials like high-fashion monograms, cutouts from fashion magazines, and hand-drawn dot patterns with markers. Nagao brings to life unfamiliar customs, rituals, and natural elements from different worlds using these found materials.Nagao has gained recognition from galleries in the Western art scene, such as Mirus Gallery in Los Angeles and Lechbinska Gallery in Zürich. Notably, DJ Black Coffee, music producer, and rapper Swizz Beatz are among his fans.

The exhibition includes approximately 25 pieces of artwork, ranging from Nagao's earliest works from around 2012 when he began his artistic career based in Germany to his latest creations. Alongside his artwork, the exhibition also features photographs he took during fieldwork in various countries, where he documented indigenous cultures and lifestyles.

Yoh Nagao, born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1981, initially pursued graphic design after studying visual communication at Nagoya Zokei University. However, he also continued to create art, gaining recognition, including winning the "Uniqlo Creative Award 2005." His international acclaim grew, prompting him to establish his base in Berlin, Germany, in 2012, where he embarked on his journey as a full-fledged artist.

Expressing primitive aesthetic sense and thoughts

In Europe, art is deeply rooted in daily life, and while he felt fulfilled as an artist, he was faced with the idea of ​​being an "other" in a society where "diverse races are swarming". He began to constantly question the reasons for pursuing art and the way of collage, and even the identity of himself.

Who am I? The questions about whether European and American values ​​are still the absolute standard. It is said that there was a “tremendous” surge of interest in the identity one should rely on. Nagao's work focuses on expressing primitive aesthetics and thoughts, exploring the question of identity in a world dominated by Western values. He began to travel and engage in fieldwork in places like Mexico, Namibia, Mongolia, and India, living alongside indigenous tribes and discovering unique beauty, values, and cultures.

‘Through my travels and fieldwork, I discovered a unique sense of beauty, values, and culture.At the same time,I also witnessed the potential disappearance of these diverse and distinctive cultures due to globalization and resource exploitation,I felt a sense of crisis that all of our diverse and unique cultures would end up existing only in glass cases in museums.Aren't we ourselves the tribe that appears to be in danger of disappearing?'

He discovered the theme, "We are the indigenous people of the future." It questions what we, who live in the present, will leave for future generations. The theme of "the Other" emerged in the world of contemporary art from the 1990s, with a multicultural trend that questioned the values centered around America and Europe, providing access to non-Western, minority perspectives. Many artists turned their fieldwork in non-Western regions, following the practices of cultural anthropology and folklore studies, into artworks. In the 2020s, keywords like "the Other" and "multiculturalism" have become even more prominent, and it can be said that Nagao is part of this lineage.


A symbol that survives the times

The exhibition's title, "Wild Thought" is drawn from the book of the same name by French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. Lévi-Strauss highlighted how non-Western indigenous peoples, often considered "uncivilized" by modern Western scientific thought, had their own unique systems for understanding the natural world, distinct from modern science. He referred to their way of thinking as "concrete science" and likened it to "bricolage."

"Bricolage" refers to the process of creating something using whatever tools and materials are available at the time and place, without a predetermined plan. Nagao's identity as an artist is deeply rooted in this concept. He uses a wide range of materials, including old magazines, threads, fabrics, driftwood, and even items like basketball nets, incorporating modern processes like photocopying and online shopping into his artistic practice.

The available tools and materials all serve a purpose and exist as "symbols" in the world of bricolage. Symbols are repurposed and transformed, often mocking societal norms and sometimes bringing about a disruptive impact through new combinations. Safety pins for punks, the black cat symbolizing mutual aid in society, umbrellas to protect democracy... With these symbols in hand, we will continue to express our opinions in the future.

Nagao also reassembles symbols, representing individuals living indigenous lifestyles, as well as mythical creatures like tengu and demons, as symbols of "our primal instincts, aesthetics, and thoughts" ingrained within us. It is said that this could serve as a significant clue for navigating turbulent times, bringing forth our instincts and ethnicity that we must not surrender to technology and contemporary institutions from Nagao's bricolage.


Exhibition Works

*Please note that some exhibition works may be subject to change. Thank you for your understanding.

About Artwork Sales

 During the exhibition, you can view and purchase artworks on the YUGEN Gallery official online store.

About artist talk

During the exhibition period, there will be artist talks by Yoh Nagao in person. He will share insights about the thoughts behind his artwork and behind-the-scenes stories about its creation. After the talk, there will be a Q&A session with the artist. Refreshments will be provided for participants, so please feel free to join us.
 
Event Dates: October 20th (Fri), 21st (Sat), 28th (Sat), 29th (Sun)
Event Times: 14:00~ / 17:00~ (Two sessions each day)
Admission Fee: Free
Reservation: Not required

Visitor Benefit Information

For those who answer the questionnaire form when visiting, we will present an original art book free of charge.

This is an original art book that compiles the exhibition works and exhibition statements in one volume, exclusively for this exhibition.

Yoh Nagao Solo Exhibition “Wild Thought” Art Book
Artist: Yoh Nagao
B4 Oversized/List price 1,650 yen (tax included)
 
*Please note that the design of the art book may be subject to some changes.

YOH Nagao

 

Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1981. Graduated from Nagoya Zokei University with a degree in Visual Communication. While working as a graphic designer and illustrator, he aspired to be an artist and in 2012, moved his base to Berlin, Germany. Since then, he has presented his work in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin, London, and Mexico City. Within this journey, he developed an interest in ethnology and cultural anthropology, seeking teachings from Prof. Motoi Suzuki at the National Museum of Ethnology and Prof. Saburo Suzuki at Arizona State University. He emphasized fieldwork, immersing himself in the communities of indigenous people living in Namibia. He also traveled to Mexico, Mongolia, and India, incorporating the knowledge gained from these experiences into his artwork. As a result, he created the mural "Harmony and Teaching" on the seawall of Kamisakiura in Minami-Ise Town, Mie Prefecture, which stretches over 100 meters. Currently, he is active based in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.

Session

2023.10.20 (Fri ) - 2023.11.2 (Thu)

Venue

YUGEN Gallery

Address

Totate International Building 3F, 2-12-19 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Opening hours

13:00-19:00
*Ends at 17:00 on the last day only

closing day

Sunday, October 22nd

Artist in Attendance

October 20th (Fri), 21st (Sat), 28th (Sat), 29th (Sun), November 2nd (Thur)

Admission fee

free

Notes

*Please note that the session and opening hours may be subject to change without notice depending on the situation.

About sales of artworks

At the same time as the exhibition, the works will be available to view and purchase on the YUGEN Gallery official online store.