Viewers could find various intersecting themes in Nagao's paintings, such as concrete and abstract, intention and accident, transcription and erasure, and perhaps the artist's physicality.
The painting process is rather complicated for Nagao - the shapes subtracted from photography via tracing paper are transcribed to a piece of carbon paper. The initial objects are transcribed and subtracted repeatedly from one material to another until they turn into abstract lines and shapes.
Another characteristic material of his work is his use of masking fluid. The unexpected composition created by the medium shakes the structure of the canvas, changing the conventional relationship between ground and objects, primer and paints.
The experimental nature of his painting process makes us anticipate the new perspective into ordinary surroundings. Nagao's work feels like an ongoing conversation by itself and with its viewers.
1969 Born in Osaka
Solo Exhibition
1991On Gallery in Osaka
2002Art Space Life⁼Passage in Tokyo
2004Fukugan Gallery in Osaka
2004iTohen Gallery in Osaka
2005Gallery Chibiero in Tokyo
2007Gallery Den58 in Osaka
2008 osoblanco in Osaka
2009 Gallery Den in Osaka
2010 O Gallery UP.S in Tokyo
2014 2kw Gallery in Osaka
2016 2kw Gallery 58 in Osaka
2017Maruyoshi Art School Gallery Space in Osaka
2017Cafe Hiyawama in Osaka
2018Gallery Hen / Gallery Kanoko in Osaka
2020Gallery Yusai in Nara
2020Gallery Shiro kuro in Osaka
2021O Gallery in Tokyo
2021 Gallery Shiro in Osaka
2021cumonos in Osaka
2021Calo Gallery in Osaka
2022 2kw Gallery in Shiga
2025Sae Ari Gallery in Tokyo
Group Exhibition
1990"New Face" Gallery View in Osaka
1991"Melody of Green Rain" Gallery Shiro in Osaka
1994"Training of Image" Gallery Shiro in Osaka
1996"Painterliness II" Gallery Shiro in Osaka
1997"Painting: After Maturity" Bangarow in Osaka
1998"Light Vein Gushing" O Gallery in Tokyo
2001"congress hall" SELF-SO art gallery in Osaka
2003"Breath" Gallery Shiro in Osaka
2004"Practice of Monochrome" Gallery Den in Osaka
2005"Spinning and Weaving" osoblanco in Osaka
2006"Brackish Waters" O Gallery in Tokyo
2014"Amagasaki Art Festival 2014" Amagasaki Cultural Center in Hyogo
2015"Measuring the dents" 2kw gallery/2kw58 in Osaka
2015"Measuring the dents" O Gallery in Tokyo
2016"Art to Wear / Art to Carry 4" Calo Gallery in Osaka
2016"Shaking boundaries" O Gallery in Tokyo
2018FACE Exhibition 2018, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Art Museum in Tokyo
2019,18"Market in the back alley" Gallery Saki Shoten in Osaka
2019｢ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2019｣ ホテルオークラ福岡 (福岡)
2019"THE EMBODIED MIND" 2kw Gallery (Shiga)
2020"Departure Drawing Exhibition 2020" in Osaka
2021"FACE Exhibition 2021" SOMPO Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
2021"Multigeneration Square / Intersecting Generations, Confronting Paintings" Ai Gallery / Galerie Sol in Tokyo
2021"The 10th Haruhi Painting Triennale" Kiyosu City Haruhi Art Museum in Aichi
2022 "FACE Exhibition 2022" SOMPO Museum of Art, Tokyo
2022 "＆Drawing Multigeneration Square 2022" Ai Gallery / Galerie Sol in Tokyo
2022"KUMONO SLIDE-extra edition-" maru room in Nara
2023"FACE Exhibition 2023" SOMPO Museum of Art in Tokyo
2023"The 41st Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Exhibition" The Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo
2023"UNIQUE CANVAS TOTE" Gallery Sasaki Shoten in Osaka
Publication
2002Chapter 2, "Production Research Exercise a," P31-P40, P100 Author Moriya Fumio ‣ Yokomizo Hidemi Published by Osaka University of Arts, Distance Learning Department
2008Monthly literary magazine "Subaru" August-October, full-page illustrations, published by Shueisha
Featured articles
1997"Painting: After Maturity exhibition", Yuko Naga + Sadahiko, planned and published by Ban Gallery
2002Exhibition Review No. 10 "Toward a Unique Grasp of Space and Hope" by Kenji Ishikawa, published by Art Village
2013"Kei Nagao Exhibition 2kw Gallery 2013.6.3-15" by Takaaki Kato, in Osaka University of Arts Blog
2018"FACE2018 Exhibition Catalog Review" by Kunio Motoe, published by Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Art Foundation
2020WEB ART & DESIGN DIRECTION "Hypothetical Painting: The Case of Nagao" by Takeshi Hirata, operator skyrocketcorporation
2021"FACE2021 Exhibition Catalog Review" by Reiko Tsubaki, published by SOMPO Art Foundation
2022”FACE2022 Exhibition Catalog Review” by Reiichi Noguchi, published by SOMPO Art Foundation
2023”FACE2023 Exhibition Catalog Review” by Reiichi Noguchi, published by SOMPO Art Foundation
2023"FACE2023 Exhibition Catalog Review" by Yabumae Tomoko, Published by SOMPO Art Foundation
