Nakanishi Natsuyuki: Devices for Gentle Gazing and Endless Lingering

One of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary artists, Tokyo‑born Natsuyuki Nakanishi (1935–2016) left behind an impressive body of work that defies neat categorisation. His paintings often question the purpose and existence of a painting, making them difficult to classify as strictly figurative or abstract.

Classically trained in painting, Nakanishi is also closely associated with the avant-garde art scene of 1960s Japan. During that period, as a founding member of the boundary-pushing art collective Hi-Red Center, his practice expanded beyond traditional painting to include performance art. Later, after an inspiring collaboration with butoh dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, he returned to painting with a more evolved conceptual approach.

Nakanishi’s iconic works are often executed with unusually long brushes and painted from a distance, frequently employing vibrant colours such as orange, yellow-green and purple. This exhibition at the National Museum of Art, Osaka marks his first retrospective since his death ten years ago.

Note: the exhibition is closed on Mondays (except May 4) and May 7.