Kazuo Nakamura

(1926 – 2002)

“Nakamura is thinking about nature, not engaged in a pictorial endeavour. His interest is in internal structures, the law of order that lies in everything.” ~ Ihor Holubizky, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2001

Kazuo Nakamura (1926 – 2002),
Painters Eleven,
Summer Morning, 1961,
Reflections painting

Kazuo Nakamura Artwork Currently for Sale

Kazuo Nakamura Artwork

Kazuo Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura, Suspension #5, 1968
oil on canvas, 24 in x 22 in,
signed and dated lower right.
Signed, titled and dated
SOLD

Kazuo Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura, 1954, untitled
oil on masonite, 17 ins x 13.5 ins.
SOLD

Kazuo Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura, Untitled, 1962
oil on canvas, 17 in x 20.5 in,
signed and dated bottom right, signed verso.
SOLD

Kazuo Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura, Evening, 1951-1952
oil on masonite, 14.5 ins x 17.5 ins,
signed and dated bottom right 1951.
Signed, titled and dated 1952 verso.
SOLD

Kazuo Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura  was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He resided in Toronto, Ontario until his death in 2002. He was among the Japanese-Canadians who were interned during WW11. Kazuo Nakamura was a founding member of Painters Eleven in 1953, a group of talented abstract expressionist artists who banded together to create a forum to collectively exhibit their abstract artworks to a shocked Toronto audience. Nakamura’s work stood alone from the group. As the rest of the group were concerned with automatic or action or reaction paintings, Nakamura was concerned with the relationship of nature and science. Nakamura’s work was different from the group in his use of subtle, refined lines, simpler structures, and monochromatic colours. Nakamura was forever searching for the answers to the methods of nature, through mathematics.

International Exhibitions
1983-1984 Nakamura’s work as part of the Ontario Heritage Foundation’s Firestone
Collection. Collection toured Paris, London, and Madrid.
1991 New Canadian Embassy in Tokyo
1992 Ader Tajan, Art Contemporain du Canada, Espace Chapon in Paris

Solo Exhibitions
1952 Picture Loan Society, Toronto
1953 Hart House, University of Toronto
1956 Picture Loan Society, Toronto
1958 Gallery of Contemporary Art, Toronto
1960 Salon d’automne: Kazuo Nakamura and Harold Town, Musee des Beaux
Arts de Montreal
1962 Jerold Morris International Gallery, Toronto
1965 Jerold Morris International Gallery, Toronto
1970 Retrospective: Hart House, University of Toronto

1974-75 Retrospective,
Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa,
Musee d’art Contemporain de Montreal,
London Public Library and Art Gallery, London,
Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia,
Rodman Hall Art Center, St. Catherines, Ontario,
Agnes Etherington Art Center, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario

2001-2002 The Method of Nature,
Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, Ontario,
The Confederation Center Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,
Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston, Ontario, Art
Gallery of Hamilton,Hamilton, Ontario,
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

2004 Kazuo Nakamura: A Human Measure,
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

Kazuo Nakamura’s work was part of numerous group exhibitions, nationally and internationally, throughout his career.

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