This summer, London’s Hayward Gallery will play host to a major retrospective of the iconic Yoshitomo Nara. Featuring more than 150 works created over the last 40 years, the eponymous exhibition welcomes audiences into the world of one of Japan’s most celebrated artists.
Known for his child-like characters, fashioned with wide gazes and a slight rebel touch, Nara often uses his cherubic figures to explore real world issues and calls to action: “I’m interested in both the individual human experience and the wider political landscape in which humanity exists.”
Having grown up during the height of the Vietnam War, his brothers’ participation in the era’s student movements nurtured Nara’s ongoing interest in environmental issues and world peace. “Hippie culture’s emphasis on community also resonated with me, and I felt that the music scene had the power to inspire change,” the artist expressed. “And I believe that visual art also has this power.”
Born in Hirosake, a small town in Japan’s Aomori prefecture, Nara spent much of his early life tuned into the Far East Network, the radio station for US military bases, and would later hunt for the American songs on vinyl as a teenager. Expanding his taste toward the somber tones of blues, to punk and new wave, this lifelong love for music continues to be a hallmark of his visual practice, going hand-in-hand with an embrace of youthful defiance.
“In my work, I am constantly using my own experiences of the past as a filter to explore who I am now and to make sense of the world,” explained Nara. “I see childhood as a time where the self is being created and try to reflect that sensibility in my work. This mentality gives me a sense of freedom, without which I would find it difficult to create work that feels authentic. It allows me to think with a childlike openness within a complicated society.”
In addition to various paintings, drawings, sculptures and a tiny house installation, the artist’s personal record collection will be on display, spotlighting the sounds and songs that defined him. Yoshitomo Nara will be on view in London from June 10 through August 31, 2025. Head to the Southbank Centre’s website for more information on how to visit.
Hayward Gallery
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd,
London SE1 8XX
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