“I want to connect my works with the viewer, that’s why I decided to draw all kinds of masterpieces.”
Historical masterpieces reimagined in line-drawings
Charming and lively, Yu Nagaba’s line drawings and sculptures transform the past and present. His black and white artworks recreate famous paintings, celebrities and films. These are wide-ranging – from Leonardo da Vinci to Mattise, and even John Travolta dancing. His process is intuitive. He paints lines by hand, creating animated characters and recognisable motifs. His artwork often has themes. I'm Your Venus (2020) is based on the mythological Greek goddess of love. Nagaba takes inspiration from his favourite artist, American minimalist Donald Judd. His simple sculptures are a reminder to...
Charming and lively, Yu Nagaba’s line drawings and sculptures transform the past and present. His black and white artworks recreate famous paintings, celebrities and films. These are wide-ranging – from Leonardo da Vinci to Mattise, and even John Travolta dancing. His process is intuitive. He paints lines by hand, creating animated characters and recognisable motifs. His artwork often has themes. I'm Your Venus (2020) is based on the mythological Greek goddess of love. Nagaba takes inspiration from his favourite artist, American minimalist Donald Judd. His simple sculptures are a reminder to simplify and refine.
Central to Nagaba's practice is connecting art to a mass audience. His series The Shot/Reverse Shot (2020) depicts moments from cult classic films. This includes Stand By Me (1986) Pulp Fiction (1994), and Leon: The Professional (1994). In his work, famous figures look up, and people interact. Others are in motion, walking, playing or drinking coffee. The artwork is lively yet succinct. By mixing art and culture, he makes it more accessible. For him, art is "not theory, it's a sensuous expression.” Whether the michelin man or David Hockney, Nagaba transforms everyday culture into a playful, universal artform.
Bio
Yu Nagaba (he/him) was born in 1976 in Tokyo, Japan, where he continues to live and work.
Collaborations
In 2022, Yu Nagaba teamed up with Uniqlo and the Musee du Louvre to illustrate masterworks on t-shirts. He especially loved working on his version of the Mona Lisa (1503) by Leonardo da Vinci – one of his most loved artists.
Recommends
Nagaba listens to music while drawing. He listens to various genres of music, but one of his all time favourites is 1990s UK trip-hop band, Massive Attack.
