Nakanishi Natsuyuki (1935–2016) was one of Japan’s preeminent contemporary painters. This exhibition marks the first retrospective of the artist’s work since his death ten years ago.
While tracing the trajectory of Nakanishi’s career back to the late 1950s, the exhibition primarily sets out to shed light on his unique view of painting. Nakanishi’s works are not necessarily depictions of a given subject, making it impossible to classify them as either figurative or abstract. To what extent does a picture inhabit the canvas? Or more to the point, where does it actually exist?
Nakanishi’s practice, in which he constantly returned to the basics, promises to provide us with useful insights as we reconsider the production of painting in Japan at this point in time.
Rhyme YS, 1959, Private Collection
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Compact Object, 1962, The National Museum of Art, Osaka
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Tangent Arc III, 1978, The National Museum of Art, Osaka
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Purple–Violet XVIII, 1983, The National Museum of Art, Osaka
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Middle Swift White XIII, 1990, Chiba City Museum of Art
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Back, Circle–I 05, 2005, Private Collection
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Passing Each Other/”S” Shaped Reductivity, 2011, The Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki
©NATSUYUKI NAKANISHI
Period March 14–June 14, 2026
Opening Hours 10:00–17:00 (10:00–20:00 on Fridays).
*Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Closed Mondays (except May 4) and May 7.
Organized by The National Museum of Art, Osaka, The Yomiuri Shimbun, The Japan Association of Art Museums
Sponsored by Daikin Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Cooperated by SCAI THE BATHHOUSE
Assisted by The POLA Foundation of Japanese Culture
Admission Adults 1,500 (1,300) yen, University students 900 (800) yen
・（ ）admission for groups of more than 20 people and night discount (applicable after 17:00 on Friday).
・Admission free for visitors under 18 (proof required).
・Admission free for visitors with disabilities and one attendant (proof required).
・Tickets for this exhibition also include admission to collection exhibition.