Koji Nakazono | On the Edge–Places I wanted to see

Koji Nakazono (1989～2015) left behind countless works in a variety of styles and techniques from the time he was a student at the Tokyo University of the Arts. As an up-and-coming young painter who launched a series of transgressive and free-spirited images one after another, he went on to have his works exhibited repeatedly at major exhibitions even after his short life, with these works including “Japanorama” (Centre Pompidou-Metz, 2017) and the “7th Moscow International Biennale of Contemporary Art” (New Tretyakov Gallery, 2017). His works continue have a significant impact on many people. Speaking about his motivation when painting, Nakazono indicated that “the finished surfaces look disjointed; but these are all landscapes which I wanted to see.” His works are packed with images that do not disclose themselves to sight but reside within the frames of his paintings and live on through humorous and uncanny figures created through vibrant colors and a wide variety of materials. This exhibition is the first solo exhibition of Koji Nakazono, who has close affinities to Yokosuka, to be held at the museum. Around 50 of his works will be on display, through which visitors will be offered a rare opportunity to experience the vivid and variegated world created by his paintings.