Nakagawa Kiyotsugu

Nakagawa Kiyotsugu (b. 1942) was born in Kyoto Prefecture to a family of barrel joiners. Nakagawa studied woodwork under his father, Kameichi, and specialized in producing barrels and boxes. He developed the “straight-grained woodworking” technique, in which wood is cut at precise angles along the grain to create rounded forms, expanding the possibilities of his craft. Additionally, he excels in wood painting, where hundreds or even thousands of pieces of wood are joined to form intricate geometric patterns. His artistic practice is influenced by a philosophical approach, emphasizing pure art and critiquing the rise of subculture art.