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音 Sound 2020 oil and glitter on canvas 227.5 × 546.0 cm (3 pieces) ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
長い間まってる Waiting for a Long Time 2020 oil and glitter on canvas 227.3 × 181.8 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
天国についた Arrived in Heaven 2020 oil and glitter on canvas 130.3 × 162.0 cm ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
南国ちゃん Miss. Tropical 2020 oil on canvas 91.0 × 72.7 cm ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
しだれざくら 2019 oil and glitter on canvas 130.1 × 193.8 cm ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
Big Bear 2019 oil and glitter on canvas 227.5 × 182.2 cm ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Coloring Beyond the Edges" Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, 2019 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Coloring Beyond the Edges" Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, 2019 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Coloring Beyond the Edges" Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, 2019 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Coloring Beyond the Edges" Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, 2019 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Coloring Beyond the Edges" Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, 2019 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October" Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 2018 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Thousands of Finches 2017 oil on canvas, glitter 194.0 × 259.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
フランスパンちゃんガール 花柄の壁紙 French Baguet Girl Floral Wall Paper 2015 oil on canvas 162.5 × 130.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
フルーツポンチ Fruit Punch 2015 watercolor, acrylic, pencil, color pencil, ink, glitter and collage on panel 53.0 × 73.0 cm ©︎Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "The Hairy House in Midsummer" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2015 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "The Hairy House in Midsummer" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2015 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "The Hairy House in Midsummer" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2015 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
Installation view from "The Hairy House in Midsummer" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2015 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Kenji Takahashi -
しだれざくら Weeping Cherry 2014 oil on canvas 162.0 × 162.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
光 Light 2014 oil on canvas 194.5 × 162.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
しだれざくら Weeping cherry 2013 oil on canvas 162.0 × 227.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
もう風邪はなおったよ A cold got cured 2013 oil, glitter on canvas 73.0 × 60.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Dramatic Moments" Tomio Koyama Gallery Singapore, 2013 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Chua Cherhim -
Installation view from "Dramatic Moments" Tomio Koyama Gallery Singapore, 2013 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Chua Cherhim -
Installation view from "Dramatic Moments" Tomio Koyama Gallery Singapore, 2013 ©Tomoko Nagai photo by Chua Cherhim -
ドラマチック Dramatic 2012 oil, glitter on canvas 227.5 × 364.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
ピクニック Picnic 2012 acrylic, water color, ink, color pencil, pencil, collage on paper mounted on panel 103.0 × 219.0 cm (3 pieces) ©Tomoko Nagai -
大きい犬の夢を見た I Dreamt About A Huge Dog 2011 oil and glitter on canvas 227.0 × 364.0 cm (2 pieces) ©Tomoko Nagai -
雪ん子ガール The Snow-child-girl 2011 oil, glitter on canvas 162.0 × 131.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
パペットといろいろの国 Puppet and Various Countries 2011 oil, glitter, modeling paste on canvas 162.0 × 194.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
ひと休み A break 2010 water color, ink, color pencil, pencil, glitter, embroidered 13.5 × 18.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
白イタチ White weasel 2010 oil, acrylic, glitter on canvas 80.5 × 53.2 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
teddy bear 2010 oil on canvas 100.2 × 80.3 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
snow kitten 2010 oil, acrylic, glitter, gesso, modeling paste, paperclay on canvas 101.5 × 134.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Mr. Bear 2010 oil,acrylic, glitter, spray on canvas 227.5 × 182.2 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
プリンス Prince 2010 acrylic, water color, pencil, color pencil, ink, conte, glitter on paper mounted on panel 45.8 × 38.1 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
劇場ハウス Theater house 2010 oil, acrylic, glitter on canvas 116.7 × 91.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
ririan 2010 oil, acrylic on canvas 130.2 × 194.2 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
灰色ネコ(大) Gray Cat (large) 2010 cloth and cotton h.49.0 × w.13.5 × d.8.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Winter Wind and Konko" at Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan, 2011 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Winter Wind and Konko" at Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan, 2011 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Winter Wind and Konko" at Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan, 2011 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Season that the worldgets filled with gold 2008 oil on canvas 161.5 × 194.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
きいろい子 gold child 2008 oil, acrylic on canvas 72.8 × 60.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
氷の物語 2008 oil on canvas 182.0 × 228.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
みんな大人になってしまった everyone's grown up 2008 oil, acrylic, pencil on canvas 227.5 × 182.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "A child and an owl and a gray cat sparkling on Sunday" Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2008 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "A child and an owl and a gray cat sparkling on Sunday" Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2008 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "A child and an owl and a gray cat sparkling on Sunday" Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2008 ©Tomoko Nagai -
Installation view from "Project N33" Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2008 ©Tomoko Nagai -
森での話 Conversation in Forest 2007 oil, acrylic on canvas 182.0 × 227.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Housekibaco 2007 oil, acrylic on canvas 131.0 × 162.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
Bathroom 2007 oil, acrylic on canvas 73.0 cm × 179.0 cm (4 pieces) ©Tomoko Nagai -
Cassiopeia 2007 Oil, acrylic on canvas 89.5 x 145.5 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
midorinomori 2007 watercolor, acrylic, color pencil, pencil, ink on paper mounted on wood panel 91.2 x 116.7 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
untitled 2006 watercolor, pencil, ink, stickers on paper 26.0 × 39.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai -
しだれざくら Weeping cherry tree 2006 watercolor, acrylic, color pencil, pencil on paper mounted on wood panel 45.5 × 53.0 cm ©Tomoko Nagai
In Tomoko Nagai’s artworks, various animals, children, colorful trees and mushrooms are depicted in a theatrical arrangement against the backdrop of forests and domestic rooms. Loaded with a multitude of motifs, each of Nagai’s paintings embraces a unique sense of spatiality, wherein a dynamism that encapsulates the worlds of fictional narratives intricately overlaps with layers of images. The colorful matière and brushstrokes form a fantastical rhythm as the artist exercises an expression akin to composing a musical piece. The viewer perceives this melody while standing face-to-face with each painting. This evokes a sense of being inside the painting, as the viewer’s own memories and experiences – nostalgic sensations, recollections and dreams from childhood – connect with the worldview represented in each artwork.
Tomoko Nagai was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1982. She graduated from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music in 2006, majoring in Oil Painting. Nagai currently lives and works in Tokyo. Nagai held a solo exhibition at Project N, Tokyo Opera City in 2008, followed by a number of solo presentations in Kyoto, Kagoshima, Hong Kong and Singapore. She exhibited at “VOCA 2010” (the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, 2010) and “Future Pass – From Asia to the World”, part of the 54th Venice Biennale (Palazzo Mangilli-Valmarana, Venice, 2011), and has participated in international group exhibitions in Seoul (Gana Art Center, 2011), Grenoble (Le Magasin – Centre National d’Art Contemporain) and Berlin (me Collectors Room Berlin, 2010). She has also taken a part in a project funded by the Singapore Red Cross, in which she painted an entire swimming pool at Toyama nursery school, located in the tsunami-stricken area of Shichigahama town, Miyagi (designed by Takahashi Ippei Office, completed in 2013). Nagai has engaged with broad audiences outside of museums and art galleries, providing title designs and artworks for television programmes on NHK Educational, as well as creating book covers for a range of publications. In 2017, she published her first monograph “Thousands of Finches”. Nagai’s artworks have been included in public collections both in Japan and internationally, notably the Takahashi Collection (Japan), the Olbricht Collection (Germany), the Zabludowicz Collection (UK) and The JAPIGOZZI Collection (US / Switzerland).
Solo Exhibitions
2022 | “Botanical Holidays” MITSUKOSHI CONTEMPORARY GALLERY, Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Tokyo, Japan |
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2020 | “It’s Dazzling Softly Like Heaven, and” Toyokawa City Sakuragaoka Museum, Aichi, Japan “Spring and Weeping Cherry” GALLERY OHRIN, Izumo Taisha Hitachi Shrine, Ibaraki, Japan |
2019 | “Coloring Beyond the Edges” Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2018 | “A Hundred Years and Cherry Blossom Tree in October” Ebihara Shoten, Tokyo, Japan “Room with Colorful Flowers” Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store 6F Artspot, Tokyo, Japan “Atelier in Peach and Rose Color, Magic” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2017 | “Thousands of Finches” Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “Tale of Nippon Umeboshi” Mizuho Oshiro Gallery, Kagoshima, Japan |
2015 | “The Hairy House in Midsummer” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2014 | “Amber Light and Carpet of Dropped Chestnuts” Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2013 | “Dramatic Moments” Tomio Koyama Gallery Singapore |
2012 | “It might be true (continued)” Roppongi Hills A/D Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2011 | “Small Planets and Many Kids” Mama Kid, Hong Kong “Recital Day in June” Mizuho Oshiro Gallery, Kagoshima, Japan |
2010 | “In the room of Toccata” Roppongi Hills Art + Design Store Space A+D, Tokyo, Japan “Winter Wind and Konko” Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto/ TKG Editions Kyoto, Japan |
2009 | “Tomoko Nagai by ZOF” BEAMS T Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan |
2008 | “Project N33” Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “A child and an owl and a gray cat sparkling on Sunday” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2007 | “Bara mo Uma ni Uta ni Midori mo Niwa” Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, Japan “'Bara mo Uma ni Uta ni Midori mo Niwa' SHINJUKU ART ∞ VOL.02” the temporary enclosure at Ο l Ο l City Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan |
Group Exhibitions
2022 | “EXODUS” K11 MUSEA、Hong Kong |
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2021 | "Bijin-ga Revolution!” Aspiranto, Yamaguchi, Japan “Rokko Meets Art 2021” Mt. Rokko, Hyogo, Japan "Vacation” GALLERY VACANCY, Shanghai, China |
2020 | “The Splendid Mountain” Hiro Hiro Art Space, Taipei City, Taiwan |
2018 | “Tomio Koyama Gallery: Works from the Gallery Artists and the Collection 3” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2017 | “10th ASYAAF (Asian Students & Young Artists Art Festival)” Dongdaemun Design Plaza), Seoul, Korea “Tomio Koyama Gallery: Works from the Gallery Artists and the Collection 2” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2016 | “21st HEART EXHIBITION” Tokyu Department Store Shibuya HONTEN, Tokyo, Japan “DECO・DECO・DECO!” Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Tokyo, Japan |
2014 | “KISS THE HEART #3” Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan “Ginza Mitsukoshi x Tomio Koyama Gallery, Art Sellection” Gallery, Ginza Mitsukoshi, Tokyo, Japan |
2013 | “Tokyo Painting II Mindscape between interior and exterior” Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan “Ginza Mitsukoshi × Tomio Koyama Gallery Art Selection” Ginza Mitsukoshi 8th Floor Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “JAPAN ART EXHIBITION” Isetan Singapore |
2011 | “JAPANCONGO” Le Magasin -Centre National d'Art Contemporain, Grenoble, France “Girlfriends Forever!” Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, Japan “Future Pass -From Asia to the World” Collateral Event of the 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia, Abbazia di San Gregorio, Palazzo Mangilli-Valmarana, Venice, Italy “Pathos and Small Narratives” Gana Art Center, Seoul, Korea |
2010 | “VOCA 2010” The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan “Passion Fruits Picked from The Olbricht Collection” me Collectors Room Berlin, Germany |
2008 | “Haptic Group Exhibition by artists from Brazil and Japan Curated by Vik Muniz” Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, Japan |
2006 | “Cow Parade TOKYO in Marunouchi 2006” Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan “Tokyo Wonder Wall 2006” Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan |
2005 | “Mandragora and Three Horns” YEBISU ART LABO FOR GALLERY, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan |
Public Collections
Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
The Franks-Suss Collection
The JAPIGOZZI Collection
Olbricht Collection
Ryutaro Takahashi Collection
Toyokawa City Sakuragaoka Museum
The Zabludowicz Collection

“Fall for Art”
August 28 - September 25, 2021
TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY

“Atelier in Peach and Rose Color, Magic”
May 2 - May 28, 2018
8/ ART GALLERY/ TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY

“Tomio Koyama Gallery: Works from the Gallery Artists and the Collection3”
March 14 - April 2, 2018
8/ ART GALLERY/ TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY

Group Exhibition “Tomio Koyama Gallery: Works from the Gallery Artists and the Collection 2”
February 8 - March 6, 2017
8/ ART GALLERY/ TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY

“The Hairy House in Midsummer”
July 15 - August 3, 2015
8/ ART GALLERY/ TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY

“Dramatic Moments”
January 18 - February 24, 2013
TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY SINGAPORE

“Winter Wind and Konko”
December 17, 2010 - February 5, 2011
TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY KYOTO

“A child and an owl and a gray cat sparkling on Sunday”
November 1 - November 22, 2008
TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY 7TH FLOOR

Group Exhibition “EXODUS” K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong
April 23 - May 13, 2022

Solo Exhibition “Botanical Holidays” MITSUKOSHI CONTEMPORARY GALLERY, Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Tokyo, Japan
March 30 - April 11, 2022

Group Exhibition “Bijin-ga Revolution!” Aspiranto, Yamaguchi, Japan
October 14 - November 14, 2021

“Rokko Meets Art 2021” Mt. Rokko, Hyogo, Japan
September 11 - November 23, 2021

Group Exhibition “Vacation” GALLERY VACANCY, Shanghai, China
July 24 - August 28, 2021

Solo Exhibition “It’s Dazzling Softly Like Heaven, and” Toyokawa City Sakuragaoka Museum, Aichi, Japan
December 12, 2020 - January 24, 2021

Group Exhibition “那座彩山 The Splendid Mountain” Hiro Hiro Art Space, Taipei City, Taiwan
October 3 - November 1, 2020

Solo Exhibition “Spring and Weeping Cherry” GALLERY OHRIN, Izumo Taisha Hitachi Shrine, Ibaraki, Japan
March 20 - May 17, 2020

Event “Art for Gift” BOOK & GINZA ATRIUM, Tokyo, Japan
November 12 - December 25, 2018

Solo Exhibition “thousands of finches” A/D Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
November 17 - December 10, 2017

Solo Exhibition “Tale of Nippon Umeboshi” Mizuho Oshiro Gallery, Kagoshima, Japan
March 5 - May 7, 2017