Collection: Hiroshi Nagai

Hiroshi Nagai (born December 22, 1947, Japan) is a graphic designer and illustrator whose work emerged in the late 20th century. Trained in Japan, he became associated with the visual culture of city pop, a musical genre of the 1980s, through his album cover designs. His early influences included tropical landscapes, particularly those of Guam, which shaped his aesthetic of sleek, polished compositions.

Nagai’s illustrations feature minimalist precision and luminous color palettes, often depicting serene urban or coastal scenes in a flattened, graphic style. His work combines elements of Japanese commercial art with Western modernist design, using clean lines, geometric abstraction, and tranquil settings. The series "Twelve Scenes of Tokyo" (1980s) merges ukiyo-e traditions with contemporary graphic techniques.

Active in commercial design, Nagai’s imagery has been linked to the revival of city pop and vaporwave aesthetics. His prints, such as "Mediterranean Sea, Cassis" (1989), reflect late-20th-century engagement with globalized visual culture, bridging Japanese and Western design. His work is held in collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago.