Discover the many inspirations behind Nara’s artwork, and delve deeper into his new Hayward Gallery exhibition in this intimate talk with the artist.
Internationally acclaimed Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara has worked across a broad range of media over the last four decades, ranging from painting and drawing, to sculpture and mixed-media installation.
Nara is particularly famed for his portraits of large-headed and wide-eyed childlike figures. These expressive and iconic images are filled with rebellious attitudes and emotions, gazing back directly at the viewers while conveying a sense of joy, soulfulness and defiance all at once.
Inspired by both European and Japanese art histories, Nara is a keen explorer of various artistic techniques and colour theory. His art is also deeply connected to his lifelong interest in music, his daily encounters and his love for nature that stemmed from his childhood in the northern Tōhoku region in Japan.
