Many artists like to combine retro and contemporary elements to create artworks that are both trendy and vibrant. Today, we're introducing illustrator and graphic designer NAGA, who, like the artist Tuck Wai we've featured before, uses classic Japanese styles to reimagine modern street sports culture such as skateboarding.
有很多艺术家都喜欢结合复古和当代元素，以创造出符合当下潮流和活力的艺术作品。今天我们要介绍的插画家和平面设计师 NAGA 就是这样，他也和我们曾经介绍过的艺术家 Tuck Wai 类似，都是运用日式经典风格来重塑现代滑板等街头运动文化。
NAGA was born in Ibaraki, Japan, and currently resides in Tokyo. He's a veteran skateboarder, and cycling is another one of his favorite sports and cultural elements.
NAGA 出生于日本茨城，目前居住在东京，同时也是一位老滑手了，此外自行车也是他最喜欢的运动和文化元素。
After attending vocational school to study painting, NAGA dreamed of becoming a manga artist. However, at the age of 25, he began working at a public bathhouse run by his relatives. They commissioned NAGA to create a painting with an Edo-era theme in the Ukiyo-e style. This led him to research the related history and art, ultimately falling in love with Edo culture. Gradually, he began incorporating his own love of modern culture, establishing his signature style.
他曾经上过职业学校并学习绘画，梦想成为一个漫画家。直到 25 岁那年，他开始在一家亲戚经营的公共浴场工作。他们想让 NAGA 以浮世绘风格，画一个江户时代的主题画作。于是他才开始研究相关历史和绘画内容，最终爱上江户文化，并逐渐结合起自己喜欢的现代文化，打造了自己的风格名片。
This skateboard deck's graphic takes its inspiration from "View of Fuji from Owari Province," a classic piece from the renowned Ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai's series, "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji."
这张砂纸下的插画灵感就来自日本浮世绘画家葛饰北斋经典之作《富岳三十六景》中的《尾州不二见原》。
Upon closer inspection of his work, you'll notice that NAGA incorporates many distinctive details, reflecting his pure love and respect for both contemporary street culture and the Edo period.
仔细观察他的作品，你会发现 NAGA 会在其中加入许多独具特色的细节，这些都是他对当代街头和过去江户时代纯粹的热爱和尊重。
This painting, on the other hand, is an opening gift he created for a yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant called "Magma." Another fun fact: the restaurant's basement houses a skate park.
这幅画则是他为一家烧肉店「マグマ」创作的开业作品。另一个有趣的故事是，这家烧肉店的地下室是一个滑板场。
It has to be said that he really enjoys drawing for his friends' stores, from izakayas to barber shops.
不得不说他很喜欢为朋友的店绘画，不仅有居酒屋还有 Barber 店。
This piece also exemplifies NAGA's fusion of diverse cultures: Ukiyo-e style, skateboarding, hip-hop, cycling, BMX, "I Love New York," Tianjin cuisine...
In the Edo period, artists like Katsushika Hokusai brought art out of the realm of the nobility and into the hands of the common people by depicting popular figures such as sumo wrestlers and kabuki actors. NAGA, in his own way, has found a point of connection between traditional culture, contemporary life, the streets, and everyday citizens.
这张作品也能代表 NAGA 对不同文化的融合运用，浮世绘风格，滑板，嘻哈，自行车，bmx，我爱纽约，天津美食……
在江户时代，葛饰北斋等人正是通过描绘相扑力士、歌舞伎演员等大众偶像，将艺术从贵族专属变为市井狂欢。NAGA 则用自己的方式，找到了传统文化，当代生活，街头和普通市民的对话接口。
Right on, peep the deck in the upper right corner. Magenta, for sure - dude's all about the details.
注意右上角的滑板，还是 MAGENTA 的，绝对细节。
NAGA said, "I really love Edo culture. But if it stays stuck in the past, it's hard for people to connect with it." Ukiyo-e paintings captured the "now" of their time, and what he aims to do is create works that resonate with the spirit of today, all while staying true to that traditional style. He wants people who might not know anything about Ukiyo-e to still be able to experience that culture through skateboarding, fixed-gear bikes, and music.
That's a valuable lesson that applies to pretty much anything and everything. Finally, let's take a look at how he incorporates elements beyond just skateboarding into his artwork.
NAGA 有句话说的很对，“我很喜欢江户文化。但如果它仍然很旧，那么人们就很难理解。”浮世绘描绘了以前人们的“当下生活”，而他要做的，就是在不改变传统风格的前提下，创作出符合当前时代精神的画作。让即使不懂浮世绘的人，也能通过滑板，固齿，音乐来享受到这种文化。
这一点放在任何事物和行业上，也许都是实用的。最后我们就来看看他运用滑板以外的元素进行到创作。
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