Gallery Naruyama
“NAGNAGNAG”
2024 May 3rd (FRI) – May 12th (SUN)

TOGA AOYAMA the second flagship store in Tokyo,has launched a new exhibition project TOGA TRIANGLE. In this second project with Gallery Naruyama, we will be exhibiting the works of NAGNAGNAG, a conspicuous sculptor in the Japanese soft vinyl art world.

©NAGNAGNAG

With the ghoulish yet somewhat adorable soft vinyl dolls painted in his unique technique called “Arai-nuri”, derived from his name, he has been the driving force behind Japan’s soft vinyl art culture. NAGNAGNAG also known as Shigeru Arai passed away in November last year, and at the request of the bereaved family, his work is now collected at Gallery Naruyama. This is the first NAGNAGNAG exhibition since his death. Focusing on his “Boryoku Genjin” series, the exhibition will showcase a total of four soft vinyl dolls that will also be sold.

BOURYOKU-GENJIN / COOP collaboration OLD NAG / 2012 / 25cm Hand painted, PVC, doll eyes, rayon, felt, vinyl chloride resin paint / Gallery Naruyama certificate ©NAGNAGNAG

BOURYOKU-GENJIN / FOUR EYES MARUSAN GARAMON 1st COLOR OLD NAG / 2008 / 25cm / Hand painted, PVC, doll eyes, vinyl chloride resin paint / Gallery Naruyama certificate ©NAGNAGNAG

DOBUONNA / NAGNAGNAG / iluilu / MISHK collaboration Unopened shrink wrapped, edition of 5 / Gallery Naruyama certificate ©NAGNAGNAG

Gallery Naruyama

Gallery Naruyama opened in 1997 with a collective exhibition of photographer Wilhelm von Gloeden. Since then, the gallery has continued to question ‘new value’ and collects works based on science, medicine and anthropology. From Atsushi Suwa who depicts the deepest inner sides of his subjects through meticulous interviews, Cosima von Bonin who is unique at first glance but possess a sense of irony, the gallery has also introduced young talents from Japan such as sculptor Kosuke Ikeshima, painter Yugo Kohrogi, photographer Momo Okabe and graphic writer WANTO. The gallery also has a collection of surrealists Pierre Molinier, Hans Bellmer, Cecil Beaton, Tamotsu Yato, medical photographs from the Meiji period, and photographs of Conan Doyle’s former possessions of psychical research material.

NAGNAGNAG

NAGNAGNAG started his career as a sculptor in the 1990s and has been involved in producing modellings of numerous characters. In 2008, he released his first original soft vinyl work, “Bouryoku Genjin.” Coloring expressed through a hand painting technique commonly known as “Arai-nuri” unique to him, is an essential point to discuss when talking about his work.
In 2021, NAGNAGNAG and graphic artist Wanto co-produced a soft vinyl mailbox for the Wanto “METAL SYNDROME” exhibition held at Gallery Naruyama. His work was also showcased alongside sculptor Kosuke Ikeshima at Art Fair Tokyo 2021. He passed away in November 2023 at the age of 51.