Nagae is active in Seto, where he was born, an ancient caplital of ceramic production in central Japan. In 1972, he graduated from the Seto Ceramics High School, then went on to complete a Special Study Course in ceramics at that institution. A leading pioneer of porcelain casting, Nagae depends on the extreme heat in the kiln to distort his sculptural forms. He suspends flat sheets of porcelain using stands and weights in the kiln to shape them, then lutes them after firing and uses a thin, clear glaze on the surface. Later pieces are left more to chance. Among grand prizes that Nagae has garnered are that from the 1998 Triennal de la Porcelain in Nyon, Switzerland, and the same year from the Mino Ceramic Festival, also in 1997 from the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. His work is renowned for its complexity of technique and minimalism of effect. One innovation, shown in the 2022 donation by Martha Drexler Lynn, is a technique that he calls "Otoshikomi", in which he drips porcelain slip into molds in stages, sometimes using various colors of slip, then allows for controlled distortion in the heat of the kiln.
1953 - Born in Seto, Aichi Prefecture
1972 - Graduated from Seto Ceramics High School
1974 - Compled Special Study Course of Ceramics, Seto Ceramics High School
1978 - Incentive Award, Chunichi International Pottery Exhibition
1979 - Grad Prix, Chunichi International Pottery Exhibition; Selected for Faenza International Pottery Exhibition; Prize from Asahi Ceramic Exhibition; bronze medal, Pottery and Porcelain Design Competition.
1980 - Selected for Faenza International Pottery Exhibition
1982 - Pottery Prize, Asahi Ceramic Exhibition
1985 - Special Prize, Asahi Contemporary Craft Exhibition; Fine Work Prize, International Design Fair in Kanazawa
1986 - Grand Prix, Chunichi International Pottery Exhibition
1989 - Special Award, Pottery Biennale; Excellence Award, Asahi Ceramic Exhibition
1991 - Runner up, Pottery Biennale
1992 - Grand Prix, Asahi Ceramic Exhibition; bronze medal, Mino Ceramic Festival
1997 - Grand Prix and Katsura no miya Prize, Japan Ceramic Exhibition; Started working as a special part-time lecturer of the Special Study Course of Pottery, Seto Ceramics High School
1998 - Grand Prix, Triennale de la Porcelain, Nyon, Switzerland; Grand Prix, Mino Ceramic Festival
1999 - Started working as a part-time lecturer at Bunsei Art College.
2001 - Judge for the Sixth Triennale de la Porcelain, Nyon, Switzerland
2002 - Became a member of the International Ceramics Academy; judge for the 4th Biama grankai exhibition
2004 - Culture Award, Aichi Prefecture