Kiyotsugu Nakagawa

• Designation
  Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property for Wood crafts)
• Category
  Wood and Bamboo
• Techniques
  Mokuga wood decoration, Wood joinery
• Born
  1942 -
• Based in
  Kyoto
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  

Style

My works are produced with a woodwork technique aligning straight grains, in which wood sections are precisely assembled and carefully matched. They are particularly characterized by geometric patterns and make use of materials buried in the ground. Timber buried underground becomes semi-petrified and some Japanese cedars are around 2,600 years old. By making full use of the beauty and unique qualities of such material, my pieces have their own feel and special shades of color.

Biography

• 1961
  Studied under his father NAKAGAWA Kameichi
• 1972
  Selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. Submitted successively to date
• 1974
  Studied under TAKEUCHI Hekigai
• 1978
  Kyoto Craft Arts Selection Exhibition
  His work was purchased by Kyoto Prefecture
• 1983
  His work was purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 1984
  Judge at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. Held the post to date
  Solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi
• 1989
  His work was purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum, UK
• 1993
  Solo exhibition at Matsuzakaya main store (Nagoya)
• 1994
  Solo exhibition at Ginza WAKO Hall
• 1999
  His work was purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 2001
  Designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder
• 2002
  His work was purchased by the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
• 2003
  Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 2005
  Produced inlaid wooden furnishing goods for the Kyoto State Guest House
• 2008
  Restored woodenwares on NHK TV’s “Challenging the Mysteries of the Yayoi”
  Kyoto City Person of Cultural Merit
• 2009
  Recorded a documentary for the Agency for Cultural Affairs
  His work was purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs

Awards

• 1973
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the Japan Kogei Association Kinki Branch Exhibition
• 1974
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the Japan Kogei Association Kinki Branch Exhibition
• 1975
  Received the Tokyo Board of Education Award at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1978
  Received the Excellence Award at the Kyoto Craft Arts Exhibition
• 1983
  Received the Nikkei Inc. Award at the Japan Kogei Association Kinki Branch Exhibition
  Received the Chairman of Japan Art Crafts Association Prize at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1988
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Prize at the Traditional Bamboo and Wood Exhibition
• 2003
  Received the Service Award at the Kyoto Cultural Awards