Ages Past 1953

Kazuo Nakamura made this painting, Ages Past, with a confident hand, laying down black, white, and teal planes in a way that feels both architectural and intuitive. I love how Nakamura embraces the materiality of paint here; the matte surfaces and sharp edges suggest a process of layering and refining, almost like he’s building up a structure from simple shapes. The way he balances the stark contrasts between light and dark creates a dynamic tension, drawing you into the composition. My eye keeps returning to the central white form with its cut-out curves – it feels both abstract and somehow familiar, like a distorted memory of a classical sculpture. This piece reminds me a bit of Stuart Davis, with its hard-edged geometry and bold use of color, but Nakamura brings a unique sensibility to the mix. There's an openness here, a willingness to let the painting exist as a space for exploration rather than a statement of certainty. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, always evolving, always open to new interpretations.