Kazuo Nakamura (1926-2002) was one of Canada’s most influential abstract artists. Born in Vancouver, he was among Japanese-Canadians interned during WWII. By 1953, he was a founding member of Painters Eleven, but his unique style differentiated him from the group.
Nakamura claimed international attention with his focus on the relationship of nature, math and science. He used subtle, refined lines, simpler structures, and monochromatic colours.
From 1954 to 1957, Nakamura produced Block Structure paintings and sculpture, followed by his String series, a suite of monochromatic landscapes.
In the 1960s, he worked on a series of sculptural towers similar to inukshuks, which he called Tower Structures. In the early 1970s, his work took a dramatic turn – he abandoned his previous styles, and during the next 25 years produced a body of work entitled the Number Structures, containing grids, tables and triangles, in which he connected mathematics and art.
Kazuo Nakamura at the National Gallery of Canada, here.
Canadian Encyclopedia entry, here.
Extensive visuals on WikiArt, here.