Hiroshi Nagai's Timeless Dreamscapes of Empty Pools and Sunsets

Hiroshi Nagai, born in 1947 in Tokushima, Japan, is a self-taught painter who has spent his career depicting an idealized American dreamscape inspired by a 1973-1975 trip to the United States and Guam. His works feature empty swimming pools, palm-lined roads, and California-style villas bathed in warm light, deliberately devoid of people. Nagai assembles imagery from magazines and catalogs to create timeless, nostalgic visions. His style aligns with the city pop movement of the 1970s, and he designed the cover for Eiichi Ohtaki's 1981 album 'A Long Vacation.' Often compared to David Hockney, Nagai blends Western influences with a distinctly Japanese calm and melancholy. He continues to produce new works today.