Ken Nakajima (artist)
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Ken Nakajima | |
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| Born | Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | British, Japanese |
| Education | Central Saint Martins, Middlesex University |
| Awards | Jamie Iddon Award for Emerging Artists |
| Website | https://www.knakajima.com/ |
Ken Nakajima is a movement director, theatre director, and visual artist working in the fields of theatre, fashion, film, and contemporary performance.
Biography
Nakajima's creative journey began with notable roles in productions such as Madam Butterfly, The Barber of Seville, Wozzeck, and Der Rosenkavalier, and more at the N.N.T.T (New National[1] Theatre Tokyo).
He studied at Middlesex University, specialising in performance, direction and scenography. He then pursued a Master's degree in Performance Design & Practice at Central Saint Martins.
Movement Direction (theatre, fashion, film)
As a movement director in theatre, his approach is deeply rooted in contemporary dance, Butoh, and physical theatre. His career began at the Royal Court Theatre,[2] where his style quickly garnered attention and led to collaborations with venues, including Colour Factory, Camden People’s Theatre, London Performance Studios, Omnibus Theatre, and Theatre by the Lake.
In fashion, his work has been featured in prominent publications and platforms including The Face Magazine, King Kong Magazine, Vogue, DAZED, SHOWstudio, and brands such as JADED London, Alyssa Marie Groeneveld, and MAX FOUCAUT. His contributions have also been showcased at London Fashion Week, for Estonian designer Johanna Parv.
In film, he began with fashion boutique store MACHINE-A for their Spring/Summer 2024 collection. He then went onto work with independent musicians such as Florence Rose, Lowswimmer[3] and most notably French artist Oklou in collaboration with NTS Radio.[4]
Theatre Direction
As a stage director, he made his directorial debut An Odyssey[5] (Teatro di Roma) at the Dominio Pubblico festival in Rome, Italy 2019, in association with State of the Art collective. He then directed his first independent show I’m Going Away Now (Gledališče Koper/Teatro Capodistria) in Slovenia, 2023[6]. He made his debut in London with Seeking Shadows[7] (Rich Mix) in 2024 which earned him a 4/5 star review.
Influences and style
His directorial practice (Synthesis) blends dance, theatre, and visual arts into a visual language that conveys the poignant essence of human existence. Inspired by both Western and Eastern mythology, he crafts archetypal narratives that explore iconoclasm, image and philosophy.[8]
References
- ↑ "検索結果 - 中島健一郎 | 昭和音楽大学オペラ研究所 オペラ情報センター". opera-tosei--showa--music-ac-jp.translate.goog. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ↑ "Ken Nakajima". Royal Court. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ↑ Lowswimmer (2025-01-22). Lowswimmer - IRL (official video). Retrieved 2025-02-14 – via YouTube.
- ↑ NTS (2025-02-11). Oklou - obvious, choke enough, blade bird | NTS Session. Retrieved 2025-04-08 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "AN ODISSEY – MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY/ROMING PROJECT – Dominio Pubblico". www.dominiopubblicoteatro.it (in italiano). Archived from the original on 2025-02-07. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
- ↑ Drobnjak, Alenka (2023-07-11). "Vizualni plesno-gledališki spektakel v Gledališču Koper | Mlad.si". Urad RS za mladino - mlad.si (in slovenščina). Retrieved 2025-04-08.
- ↑ "Seeking Shadows". Rich Mix. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
- ↑ "About". KEN NAKAJIMA. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
External links
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