Shota Nakamura
I keep running across the works of Shota Nakamura. I like how he is pulling from the traditions of Bonnard and Vuillard. I like his muddy pallet.
His work seems to be:
Exploring color and mark making in subdued tones.
Looking at large spaces (landscapes) in a flattened manner.
Looking at human interaction.
Cliffs Current Take:
I feel like Nakamura still needs more time to explore and grow as an artist. Maybe that is unfair. I look at his work and not knowing enough about who he is, I’m left wondering if some of the choices he is making are because he is in control or if he lacks the ability. For example, I know Matisse or Picasso can paint what ever the heck they want, so when I look at one of their more raw pictures, I can fully buy in. When I look at a Howard Hodgkins work, that guy didn’t prove himself enough to me to buy into his vision.
What I do like is Nakamura’s sensibility. This is someone I plan on coming back to again in the future.