Kazumasa Nagai

Graphic Designer

Profile

Born in Osaka in 1929. Withdrew from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo University of the Arts in 1951. Participated in the founding of Nippon Design Center in 1960. Currently Chief Advisor. Special advisor to JAGDA, member of ADC and AGI. Since 1960, he has received the JAAC Member Award, Asahi Advertising Award Grand Prix, Japan Advertising Award Yamana Prize, Yusaku Kamekura Award, Masaru Katsumi Award, ADC Grand Prix, Mainichi Design Award, Mainichi Art Award, Design Merit Award from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Minister of Education's Art Encouragement Prize, Medal with Purple Ribbon, Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Prize at the Warsaw International Poster Biennale, Brno, Moscow, Helsinki, Zagreb, and others. Grand Prix at international exhibitions in Moscow, Helsinki, Zagreb, Ukraine, and Hong Kong.
Permanent Collection; The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, The Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Art, Himeji City Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Museum of Abstract Art, Germany, International Warsaw Poster Museum, etc.

Thoughts on Design

I believe that a good design is one that integrates the five human senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing, and converges into a “form” with a certain purpose. I think this is because there is a common sense that naturally exists in both the designer and the user. Miraculously, the earth was formed out of the universe, microorganisms were born, and humans were born as one of these creatures. I think there is some kind of law or providence of the universe that is common to all nature and living things as the earth’s ecosystem. It is very mysterious, mysterious and beautiful. I think that when designers design something, they should find the laws that already exist in nature and give them shape. If it is not beautiful and attractive as well as costly and functional, it cannot be called a crystal born from providence. I would like to cherish the common sense of nature while recognizing the role of each.