Exploring artist Hiroshi Nagai’s work, featuring deep blue skies, sunshine, and sunsets

City pop, a Japanese pop music genre from the 1980s, is enjoying a long-awaited resurgence worldwide. Fans are also reappraising the record jackets that defined the genre. Illustrator Hiroshi Nagai, who found his niche in designing these jackets, is joining the UT lineup at long last. So how did he develop his signature style of tropical landscape paintings with impressively deep blue skies?

To paint his distinctive skies, Nagai first applies a layer of blue paint. After that, he uses an airbrush to add white paint, starting from the horizon and then adding layer after layer of sky blue on top.

Playing with light and shadow, with a lack of finesse

The first thing that catches the eye is the clear, cloudless expanse of ultramarine sky, reflected in a large white pool as palm trees cast shadows on the surface of the water. This detailed, retro landscape is just one of the designs in this season’s Hiroshi Nagai collection from UT.

Nagai’s rise to prominence as an illustrator began with the jacket art for A Long Vacation, the bestselling 1981 album by Eiichi Otaki. “In 1978, I published a book of illustrations called A Long Vacation through CBS/Sony,” he says, “but I was busy with other work and didn’t have time to write the text. Around that time, I was introduced to someone at Sony, and through that connection, we got Eiichi Otaki to write the text for me. Otaki later released an album with the same name, using one of the paintings from my book for the jacket art. That image was actually based on an advertisement I did for a winery. [Laughs.] The client brought me some photographs, which I arranged into a landscape in my own style.”

Nagai also painted the same scene at dusk. That version—which is also included in this collection—was used as the cover art for A Long Vacation From Ladies, a cover album for A Long Vacation that featured only female singers.

So how did Nagai develop his one-of-a-kind style? He credits two events that occurred in the 1970s when he was working at his uncle’s design company and establishing himself as an illustrator. The first was an exhibition of photorealism, an emerging art movement from the United States; the second, a forty-day tour of the United States with a dozen or so other artists.

When Nagai was in his 30s, he sometimes modeled for ads and commercials.

“At the photorealism exhibition, I was confronted with something utterly unlike the Japanese realism that I’d seen at exhibitions like the Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition),” he says. “It was a shock. Even the subjects in the landscapes—beaches and American cars—were different. In Japanese art, you’re more likely to see Mt. Fuji. Then I went on this trip, and I got to see those very same landscapes laid out in front of my eyes. That was really exciting. We went to the West Coast first.　The others went on to New York immediately afterwards, but I stayed behind for a while.”

It is obvious that these experiences have a major influence on Nagai’s style to this day. However, in his work, he references more than just the landscapes from his memory.“I like things that are printed,” he explains. “When I first started illustrating, I used to go to travel agencies and pick up handfuls of fliers with landscape photos to use for reference. [Laughs.] When I paint, I start with reference photos like these and then use light and shadow to make them feel more like the landscapes that I’ve seen in person. Perhaps it’s a good thing that I’m not a good painter. If I were better, I’d be able to replicate photographs exactly as they look. But I can’t. I sometimes think that it’s my lack of finesse that makes me, me.”

Nagai’s studio is crowded with cardboard boxes full of records; nowadays, he buys only singles because he is running out of space.

Light and shadow, memory and photograph, truth and lies—the fusion of all these conflicting elements is what gives a landscape the Hiroshi Nagai touch.

What do contemporary city pop artists think of Hiroshi Nagai?

Yuka Mizuhara
Model & DJ

―How did you meet Nagai?

I saw that he was posting music by his favorite Black musicians on Twitter. The more I heard, the more I wanted to look for more. My father always listened to funky music too, so I recognized his love of soulful music. We follow each other on Twitter now and are DJ friends. I have a painting of an airplane by Nagai on the wall at home. It’s comforting to look at—like looking at a beautiful landscape.

―Do you have any memorable stories about Nagai?

A few years ago, I heard a rumor that Nagai was clearing out his records. I wanted to go over to have a look, but it didn’t happen because I was overseas. If it happens again, I’ll be sure to go!

―What is your favorite work by Nagai?

It’s hard to pick just one, but perhaps the painting of the car and the motorcycle　on a beach as waves come crashing. I’ve heard that there are only three beaches in the world where you can drive on the sand like that. Looking at the painting makes me feel dreamy and excited, thinking of how I would love to see that in person someday.

―What song best fits that work?

“Future File” by Hiroshi Sato. It suits the atmosphere perfectly.

―Which of the three T-shirts designed by Nagai do you like best?

The black one. I love how the landscape is tinged in the pink light of dusk. It’s a great everyday shirt that I’d like to pair with jeans or a skirt when I go digging for records!

TAKUMI YUGE
Fashion designer & art director

―How did you discover Nagai’s art?

The first time I saw it was on my mother’s copy of A Long Vacation when I was in the third grade.

―When did you meet Nagai himself?

I was introduced by an acquaintance.　Now our relationship is mostly related to my work as an illustrator and art director, but we’ve also DJed together outside of work, and he has helped out with my brand and my record shop.

―What kind of person is Nagai?

Before I spoke with him, I had no idea that he was one of the biggest record collectors in Japan and had a deep knowledge of fashion to boot. He is a legend in my eyes, even now that I’ve gotten to know him. I’m fortunate to have a front-row seat to his artistic process, and it’s an honor to work with him.

―What is your favorite memory of Nagai?

The first time we worked together. I was working as an art director for a swimwear brand at the time and approached him about an advertising job. I also have fond memories of DJing together in South Korea.

―What is your favorite work by Nagai?

It has to be the painting from A Long Vacation! It’s the first piece by him that I ever saw, when I was an impressionable boy. Also, I bought a swimming pool painting by him, which I love.

―What would you like to say to Nagai?

I hear that your family is long-lived, so I hope that you take good care of yourself and paint as many wonderful pictures as possible over the next fifteen years. I also hope you come across a 7-inch of some great soul music that you’ve never heard before.

Night Tempo
Music producer & DJ

―How did you discover Nagai’s art?

The first time I saw it was on the cover of Eiichi Otaki’s single, Kimi wa Tennen Shoku (Your colors are natural), when I was collecting records. It was around 2012 or ’13.

―When did you meet Nagai himself?

The first time we spoke was at an event in South Korea, when an acquaintance introduced us. Since then, we’ve worked on online events together.

―What did you think of Nagai after meeting him in person?

He’s cooler than I had imagined from his art.

―What is your favorite memory of Nagai?

I called him to ask if he would create the artwork for my album Night Tempo, which I released in 2019. He said yes immediately and painted a piece for me, so that’s definitely a good memory.

―What is your favorite work by Nagai?

The cover art for Night Tempo, of course.

―What song best fits that work?

My own song, “Dystopia.”

―Which of the T-shirts designed by Nagai do you like best?

The one with a swimming pool at sunset on a black background. I like the purple color of the sky.

―Where do you see yourself wearing Nagai’s design?

While I’m standing on the roof of a tall building, looking out at the cityscape.

―What would you like to say to Nagai?

Your art is timeless and beautiful, and I have a great deal of respect for you.

Hitomitoi
Musician

―How did you discover Nagai’s art?

As a child, I saw the jacket of Eiichi Otaki’s A Long Vacation at Big Sun, my parents’ tropical urban resort restaurant.

―When did you meet Nagai himself?

The first time I collaborated with Nagai as Hitomitoi was when he created the jacket for a cover album released by Yasushi Ide’s label. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to see his work on the jackets of several compilation albums I’ve been involved with and singles I’ve guested on and even my own original music. The first time we met in person was backstage at Billboard Live Tokyo.

―What kind of person is Nagai?

For an artist who creates such dreamy art, he is very open and easygoing. It was surprising and wonderful to be able to talk so freely with him. Now he knows a lot of my friends and acquaintances, so we’re much closer, but I will always see him as a global superstar.

―What is your favorite memory of Nagai?

When I met him at a cafe near his studio with four members of my production team to ask him to create the art for Talio, an album I wrote during the early days of the pandemic. It’s a peaceful and quiet memory, but one full of passion.

―What is your favorite work by Nagai?

His pool paintings.

―What song best fits those works?

If I may say so myself, Hitomitoi’s “Dive.”

―Which of the three T-shirts designed by Nagai do you like best?

The white one. I want to pair it with a jacket, pants, and heels as I go to work in a trendy, air-conditioned office in the summer, or with shorts when going to buy ice cream at a summer resort

©HIROSHI NAGAI