kenji nakayama

Kenji Nakayama was born in Tomokomai on the island of Hokkaido, Japan in 1979. A mechanical engineer by education, Kenji made a significant life change in 2005 with a move to Boston, Massachusetts to study traditional sign painting and to dedicate his time and energy to art-making. Kenji's diverse practice ranges from careful pinstriping and gilded lettering to hand-cut, multi-layered stencil paintings. Each intricately carved stencil painting is a unique manifestation of documenting and responding to the environment surrounding him, and often takes months to complete. His work serves as a personal diary of experience and influence, and his process can be described as a balance between meditation and highly-trained craftsmanship. Music, solitude, humor, motorcycles, and urban decay serve as direct sources of inspiration.

Read an in-depth article about Kenji in the Boston Phoenix