Today we’d like to introduce you to Masaya Nakayama.
Hi Masaya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Before beginning my career as an artist, I worked as a teacher at a public junior high school in Japan. This was because I did not feel that my life as an artist was realistic. However, when I faced the career paths of my children, I was given the opportunity to rethink my own life. Every time I told them the importance of having a dream, their words came back to me. I wanted to have a relationship of respect with my students forever, so I moved to the United States in 2012 and started my career as an artist in New York City. In addition to my own activities, I am also a Co-founder and member of the artist collective Coperus. The reason for our activities is for the future of children. We have organized events related to environmental issues.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Many times, I almost lost track of why I came to New York in the first place. There were times when I couldn’t afford the rent and had to hide in an art studio where I was not allowed to live. Making art is a lonely time, so it was mentally tough, but with the help of $1 pizza and my friends, I managed to make it this far.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My paintings aims to uncover and grasp the subtle moments which can easily slip away from us in a world moving at a dizzying pace. Notions of how truth and meaning are understood are intently explored through techniques employed by me, such as through the use of prominent white lines throughout the paintings. Our gaze naturally interprets such contrasting lines as something imprinted over the paintings. However, these lines are carefully created by peeling away masking tape from underneath to reveal the canvas below. In this way, the viewer is steered towards an understanding of how the canvas creates the lines and its color – inviting us to understand the hidden truths beneath our daily interactions and encounters, especially as it was exposed during the recent pandemic. In 2019, some of you may have come to know me through my collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, the city I now live in. The concept of a company that works to revitalize the community and also tackle environmental and human rights issues matched my vision and led to our collaboration. My desire to contribute to society through art has been consistent since the beginning. And education is still one of the main points for me.
How do you define success?
First, to enjoy my life as an artist. And if I can contribute to society with that my life, then there is no greater success.
Contact Info:
- Email: nkymmsy0304@gmail.com
- Website: masayanakayama.com
- Instagram: @msynkyma
Image Credits
Toyohiro Matsushima
