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Lot Essay
In 1964, George Nakashima’s career would expand its horizons to Japan after a meeting with Masayuki Nagare, a Japanese sculptor. Nagare was the founder of Minguren, or “People’s Tool Guild”, a Japan-based association of craftsmen and designers. Their mission was to preserve ancient Japanese craft traditions while adapting them for modern design. Nagare sought designers from the West, particularly America and Europe, to have their works produced in Japan by the guild.
Nakashima met Nagare during the sculptor’s visit to New York in 1964, where he was preparing for an exhibition at Staempfli Gallery and presenting his work “Stone Crazy” at the 1964 World’s Fair. After visiting Nakashima’s home in New Hope, Pennsylvania, the two forged a lasting connection. Later that year, the artist met Nagare and the rest of the Minugren group in Takamatsu, a town on the island of Shikoku. The woodworking component of the guild was known as Sakura Seisakusho led by Shinichi Nagami. Nakashima was impressed with the quality at Sakura, and, upon his return home, he sent them a sample of the ‘Conoid’ chair for them to reproduce. It was critiqued and refined the following year with a table base created to match the chairs, all produced in a Japanese cherry with a hand-chiseled black lacquer, unique to the Shikoku region.
Nakashima's ties to Japan deepened when Takao Mitsuya, head of the furniture department at Odakyu, a prominent department store in Tokyo, invited him to showcase his work in a series of exhibitions featuring Western furniture designers. The pieces for these shows would be designed by Nakashima with all lumber sourced from the United States and shipped to Sakur for production by Minguren under Nakashima’s supervision a month before the show’s opening. The pieces were then available for purchase at Odakyu.
The exhibitions were a resounding success, with Nakashima’s reputation growing steadily in Japan. Over the course of eight exhibitions, the Sakura production line expanded to include a variety of Nakashima’s designs. The present lot is a striking 'Minguren II' coffee table that was exhibited in the May 1987 Odakyu show, the last Japan show that the artist was able to attend in person. This table was formed from an odd shape of wood, of which one other table was created. The sister table was smaller and paired with a 'Minguren I' base, and both were displayed on the same platform in the Odakyu 1987 show. With its intricately detailed edge and burled top, this table embodies Nakashima's exceptional craftsmanship and artistry, showcasing his deep connection to the material.
Nakashima met Nagare during the sculptor’s visit to New York in 1964, where he was preparing for an exhibition at Staempfli Gallery and presenting his work “Stone Crazy” at the 1964 World’s Fair. After visiting Nakashima’s home in New Hope, Pennsylvania, the two forged a lasting connection. Later that year, the artist met Nagare and the rest of the Minugren group in Takamatsu, a town on the island of Shikoku. The woodworking component of the guild was known as Sakura Seisakusho led by Shinichi Nagami. Nakashima was impressed with the quality at Sakura, and, upon his return home, he sent them a sample of the ‘Conoid’ chair for them to reproduce. It was critiqued and refined the following year with a table base created to match the chairs, all produced in a Japanese cherry with a hand-chiseled black lacquer, unique to the Shikoku region.
Nakashima's ties to Japan deepened when Takao Mitsuya, head of the furniture department at Odakyu, a prominent department store in Tokyo, invited him to showcase his work in a series of exhibitions featuring Western furniture designers. The pieces for these shows would be designed by Nakashima with all lumber sourced from the United States and shipped to Sakur for production by Minguren under Nakashima’s supervision a month before the show’s opening. The pieces were then available for purchase at Odakyu.
The exhibitions were a resounding success, with Nakashima’s reputation growing steadily in Japan. Over the course of eight exhibitions, the Sakura production line expanded to include a variety of Nakashima’s designs. The present lot is a striking 'Minguren II' coffee table that was exhibited in the May 1987 Odakyu show, the last Japan show that the artist was able to attend in person. This table was formed from an odd shape of wood, of which one other table was created. The sister table was smaller and paired with a 'Minguren I' base, and both were displayed on the same platform in the Odakyu 1987 show. With its intricately detailed edge and burled top, this table embodies Nakashima's exceptional craftsmanship and artistry, showcasing his deep connection to the material.