Jean Nagai’s Midst Seizen at Sow & Tailor in Los Angeles bears witness to the artist’s work as a landscape painter in that his practice is a direct reflection of the world around him, wherever that happens to be. In the title of his exhibition Midst Seizen, the Japanese American artist’s play on words has a simple yet powerful message for humankind: enjoy the present moment. According to Nagai, the word “midst” refers to layers of reality and is a riff on “mid” and “mist” while the word “seizen” is a play on “season” and “seize.” With the climate rapidly changing, Nagai believes that our seasons have become less defined, and our lives are more unpredictable than ever as a result. His latest body of work serves as a reminder to pause and celebrate the connectedness of everything, to embrace science and the supernatural, and to honor both life on Earth and the otherworldly.

Midst Seizen is on view through August 12 @ Sow & Tailor, 157 W 27TH ST. LOS ANGELES, CA. 90007