Mamoru Nakagawa

• Designation
  Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property for Chisel work)
• Category
  Metalwork
• Techniques
  Metal inlay
• Born
  1947 -
• Based in
  Ishikawa
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  

About the Artist

Seeking New Ways of Expression with Kaga Inlay

Mamoru Nakagawa was enchanted by the artwork of Kaishu Takahashi, metalwork artist from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and started his career in producing Kaga Inlay. Not only did he succeed the traditional techniques that were nearly lost, but he added his unique modern designs, injecting new life into the traditional art. In 2004, he was designated as Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) for metal engraving. His artwork has been added to the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the British Museum in London. He has been giving lectures and performing demonstrations worldwide, and is passing on not only the traditional techniques, but also the charm of Kaga Inlay as a whole to the next generation.

Biography

• 1971
  Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art, Industrial Art Department
• 1974
  Studied under Kaga Inlay artist Kaishu Takahashi
• 1979
  Selected for the 26th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition for the first time
• 1982
  Becomes Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 1995
  Evaluator at the 42nd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Submitted to the "Japanese Studio Crafts: Tradition and the Avant-Garde" exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
• 1999
  Submitted to 100 Selections of Contemporary Japanese Craft Exhibition (Paris)
• 2003
  Submitted to Japan's Traditional Art Crafts A 50-Year Retrospective
  Evaluator at the 50th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2004
  Designated as Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure)
  Planned and submitted to the "Contemporary Japanese Metalwork Exhibition" (Copenhagen)
  First Solo Exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
• 2005
  Evaluator at the 52nd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2007
  Submitted to Crafting Beauty in Modern Japan:Celebrating Fifty Years of the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition (London)
• 2008
  Submitted to SOFA (Sculpture Objects ＆ Functional Art) New York
  Artwork added to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
  Gave lectures and demonstrations in New York, Washington, and Los Angeles as a cultural exchange ambassador sent by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 2009
  Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 2010
  Artwork added to the collection of the British Museum (London)
• 2011
  Movie on Kaga Inlay made by the POLA Foundation of Japanese Culture
• 2012
  Solo Exhibition at the Gold Museum (New Taipei City, Taiwan)
• 2015
  Submitted to the Asia Art Fair (New York)
• 2018
  Received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
• 2021
  Artwork added to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Japanese Metalwork Exhibition held

Awards

• 1975
  Awarded at the Kanazawa Craft Exhibition (also awarded in '76, '77 and '84)
• 1976
  Awarded at the Contemporary Arts Exhibition of Ishikawa Prefecture (Also awarded in '78 '79 and '80)
• 1978
  Kanazawa City Mayor Grand Award, Kanazawa Craft Exhibition
• 1981
  Grand Award, Contemporary Arts Exhibition of Ishikawa Prefecture
• 1985
  Awarded at the Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1988
  Incentive Award, 18th Metalworks Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Asahi Shimbun Award, 35th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1989
  Tansuiō Award from the Satoh Artcraft Research & Scholarship Foundation
• 1991
  TOYP Grand Award from the Junior Chamber International Kanazawa
• 1994
  Excellence Award, 24th Metalworks Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1996
  Japan Kōgei Association Incentive Award, 43rd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2000
  Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award, 30th Metalworks Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2001
  Japan Kōgei Association Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder Award, 48th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2002
  Grand Award of the Craft Division, 13th Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition held at the MOA Museum of Art
• 2003
  Japan Kōgei Association Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder Award,50th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Hokkoku Cutural Award from the Hokkoku Shimbun
• 2004
  POLA Traditional Culture Award Excellence Award
  Kanazawa City Cultural Award
• 2006
  Chunichi Cultural Award
• 2007
  Ishikawa Television Broadcasting Award

Public Collections

• The British Museum
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
• Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art