Japanese paper artist Akira Nagaya was born in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture on March 9, 1967. Fascinated by the “bamboo balance” work of sushi chef in 1988, he started creating his own pictures, cutting them out of thinnest paper. According to the artist, he didn’t get any art education, so he is a self-taught artist. Intricate paper cutting artworks by Nagaya drove attention of mass media. The artist’s works were featured in numerous local and national TV programs and magazines.
His paper masterpieces were called not less than a miracle, and got many awards, prizes at visual art contests, solo art exhibitions. In 2007, at 17th All Japan Art Contest he won Grand Prize at Painting Exhibition “Dragon”. In 2009 he became the winner at the International Art Exhibition for the third time. His works ‘Dragon in the Sky’ got the prize of the Royal Museum Japan. Nagaya had several solo exhibitions in 2011, 2012, 2013 in Tokyo, and New York art galleries.

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