Kazumasa Nagai, a Japanese printmaker and graphic designer, died on March 2, 2026.
Born in Osaka on April 20, 1929, he attended the Tokyo University of the Arts to study sculpture before withdrawing because of health problems. He was a founding member of the Nippon Design Center, established in 1959, and later served as its president.
Nagai’s early work was abstract, and in the 1980s he shifted to handmade designs of animals and plants. Some of his work appeared on the cover of LIFE.
Kazumasa Nagai (Japanese: 永井 一正, Nagai Kazumasa; Ōsaka, April 20, 1929 – February 23, 2026) was a Japanese printmaker and graphic designer. He attended the Tokyo University of the Arts to study sculpture, and withdrew due to health problems.