July 24 - August 5, 2006
There are five objects made of clay, cloth and polyester resin and painted by colored pencils and nine drawings in his latest exhibition.
NAKANO calls himself "OTAKU" and shuts himself away in his studio in order to make his artworks.
He gives birth to many monstrous creatures beyond normal creativity.
These creatures create a dubious and indecent world, which shows "KAWAII" and "OTAKU" in the same time.
The Japanese word "KAWAII" means a kind of beauty, therefore this word is in direct opposition to "Ugly".
However, you would notice that Nakano's works were made from something totally different from the beauty if you looked at them carefully.
This something is "Grotesque" which is a direct opposite word to "KAWAII."
This shows us that a dark side of "KAWAII" myth in The Consumer Society.
When mass media tells "KAWAII", they just agitates desires for happiness, consumption and youth.
Why must the young girl be "KAWAII"?
The answer is very simple; the young girl is consumption object in order to gratify one's desire.
If I call that NAKANO' works are plastic figure of characters, he would get angry.
However, his figure works sometimes shows us something "Grotesque", which is an antithesis of The Consumer Society.
Nagoya Zokei University of Art & Design Alumni Association
Editor: Toshiharu SUZUKI
Publisher: Kouen KATAYAMA