FAINT WAVES

The first in my “Aesthetic Appreciation” series; exploring imagery, concepts, art, and artists that I find evocative, invigorating, and inspiring.

Hiroshi Nagai is an artist who has risen to Internet prominence in recent years, largely for the evocative and aesthetically pleasing nature of his many, many illustrations. His body of work is vast and comprised of many lush, emotive pieces of art. I could go on and on about Nagai and his art, there are so many descriptors that apply; immaculate, dreamy, warm, tropical. I’ve long been an appreciator and admirer of Nagai’s many works, I would describe much of his art to be a Japanese take on idyllic Americana. There’s a vaguely mid-century modern touch to the tropicalia, something that was in vogue in the 1980s; this sort of modern re-interpretation and reprisal of 50’s aesthetics.

Speaking of the 80’s, it’s important to note that many of his wonderful works of art are vintage album covers. A Long Vacation by Eiichi Ohtaki and The September Wind by Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing are two albums of note. Nagai, as a graphic designer and illustrator, is closely associated with City Pop; a loosely defined genre of dynamic pop music that rose to prominence in Japan during the 1980s. His unique visual style gave some of the genre an aesthetic and identity to latch on to, connecting the pristine, eclectic music to imagery that furthered its sunny, luxurious, escapist sound. In the 2010s, this same visual aesthetic would have an impact once more on Internet music genres such as Vaporwave and Future Funk.

Today, Nagai is a well-known figure and his art has reached countless audiences, admired and shared across the web and across social media. Rightfully so. Given the wide breadth of his work, it’s likely I’ll be doing a part two, once again dedicated to Nagai and his beautiful imagery. It’s imagery that’s resonated with me and countless others, thank you Hiroshi Nagai for producing such wonderful art.

_{Follow Hiroshi Nagai on Instagram.}