Shigeru Nakanishi

Education

Nakanishi graduated from the Tokyo University of Science Engineering Division, Architecture Section in 1969.

Career

He then became an architectural designer, painting as a hobby. After winning the leading prize in the Selection of Contemporary Western Painting in 1990, he made his debut with the first solo exhibition Melancholic Paris at the Ichimai-no-e Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo. He has held a solo exhibition every year since.

In 1995, he began his series of paintings titled Ruins after the Great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe.

In 2000, he retired from architecture and began painting exclusively. In 2001, he received the Special Commendation Citation at the 33rd NITTEN (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) for painting Deserted Island 2001, depicting Hashima Island (Warship Island), Nagasaki.

In 2002, he held an exhibition of his Deserted City series in Ginza, Tokyo. This series of paintings covered war-torn and deserted cities such as Sarajevo, Belgrade, Chernobyl, and Auschwitz.

In 2004, Nakanishi held the exhibition titled Landscape at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse.

Following the exhibition, he lived in Paris Montmartre for two years. He studied in the École des Beaux-Arts and travelled across Europe and the United States. He returned to Japan in 2006, touring with an exhibition termed Melancholic Paris Ⅱ in 12 locations throughout the country.

In 2013 he painted a mural Stockholm Twilight at the Tokyo University of Science.

Exhibitions and 1990: Gold Prize at exhibition Selection of Contemporary Western Painting 2003: Exhibition of Deserted City in Nagoya at Nagoya Electric Power Company’s Culture Hall.

Achievements

• 1990: Gold Prize at exhibition Selection of Contemporary Western Painting 2001: 33rd Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) Special Commendation Citation for painting Deserted Island 2001 depicting Hashima Island, Nagasaki 2002: Exhibition of Deserted City in Ginza, Tokyo, first in series of paintings of Sarajevo, Belgrade, Chernobyl and Auschwitz. Rotating exhibition in July at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building Number.1 in Yokohama. 2003: Exhibition of Deserted City in Nagoya at Nagoya Electric Power Company’s Culture Hall.　Series of 376 illustrations for 1 year. Bonfire of the Bay series in Akahata Newspaper Headquarters at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, Building Number. 2. 2004: Exhibition of Landscape at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse 2005: 37th Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) Special Commendation Citation for painting Dock. 2006: Touring exhibition of series Melancholic Paris II in 12 locations throughout Japan 2008: Exhibition of series Deserted City in Yamagata 2009: Exhibition of series Melancholic Paris III. Exhibition of series Deserted City in Osaka. 2010: Exhibition of Deserted City in Okinawa series 2011: Exhibition of Corridor of Light/Travel of Europe II series in Tokyo. Exhibition of series Ruins and Reproduction in Kochi. 2012: Exhibition of series Ruins and Reproduction in Yokohama 2013: Exhibition of series Ruins and Reproduction in Hiroshima 2015: Exhibition of series Ruins and Reproduction in New New York