IN PURSUIT OF HIS INNER CHILD

Three decades after leading Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara made a global name for himself with his big-eyed characters, he reveals his apathy towards fame and his next, unexpected ambition

By Zabrina Lo.

Wildfires tore through Los Angeles in January, just as Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara was about to open his tenth-anniversary exhibition Yoshitomo Nara: My Imperfect Self with Blum gallery. Originally slated to open on January 18, the show features 11 never-before-exhibited sculptures made last year, along with paintings and drawings from 1995 to 2024. It looks at the evolving sculptural practice of Nara, one of the most famous living Japanese artists, whose signature images of menacing, wide-eyed children forged a unique style and voice in the global art landscape. But the wildfires didn’t wipe out this soft-spoken, silver-haired 65-year-old’s determination to realise his plan and belief in what art can do to heal the community. Not only did he return to Los Angeles for the opening reception of his show a…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2025

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