Listening to Trees: The Architectural Forms of George Nakashima

George Nakashima (1905‒1990), one of the leading furniture designers of the 20th century, referred to himself as a “woodworker.” He selected wood with a deep understanding of its plant origins, and poured his heart and soul into crafting pieces that would grant the wood a “second life” as furniture. At the core of Nakashima’s craftsmanship lay “architecture" a discipline he studied in colege and practiced at places such as the Raymond Architectural Design Office during his youth which remained at the core of his forms throughout his life. This exhibition highlights Nakashima’s architectural work, beginning with “George Nakashima Woodworkers,” the workplace and living space he built with his family over the course of approximately 30 years. Having been placed in a Japanese American internment camp during the war, Nakashima was also a man who sought world peace. In his later years, he created the “Altar for Peace” in a spirit of prayer, and this work has been continued by his daughter, Mira Nakashima Yarnal. Craftsmanship that truly “listens” to the voice of trees and approaches living things with humility: we explore what his spiritual legacy conveys to us today.