Gojira and Extra-Terrestrials, 2015. Hand-ground minerals on Japanese paper, 9”H x 12”W. Private collection.
Gojira, 2014 - 19
From 2014 to 2019, Craig Nagasawa worked in the traditional nihonga medium. Paintings from this period often used the Japanese monster Gojira (Godzilla) as a stand-in for himself. Engaging in leisure activities such as skiing, motorboating, fishing, going on dates, and prowling the streets of Japantown, this empathetic figure creates a space for viewers to engage with painful histories and embodies Nagasawa’s search for belonging and engagement with contemporary Asian American narratives.
“Ski Racer,” 2018. Mezzotint, Chinecolle, Copper Leaf, Gampi, Edition of 20, Image 8”H x 10W”, paper size 12H x 18W
“Gojira Stivot Schusshi,” 2014. Hand-ground minerals and ink on silk and Japanese paper, 48”H x 78”W
“Gojira Goes Ski Racing,” 2015. Hand-ground minerals and ink on Japanese paper on panel, 48”H x 78”W
“J.J. Takes Gojira on a Ski Date,” 2016. Hand-ground minerals and ink on silk and linen, 60”H x 60”W
“GG Pivots,” 2016. Hand-ground minerals and ink on silk and Japanese paper on panel 60”H x 54”W, private collection
Meeting Gojira, an in-depth interview about Craig Nagasawa's story and the work from this period was published in the magazine Works and Conversations in 2019.
What I Expected Would Happen Did Not, and What I Never Thought Did... or How to Escape Your Family Business: Sunrise Fish Market, 2015. Installation with silk, paper, crushed minerals, cardboard, lights and objects. 14H x 18W x 4D feet.
