Yoshitomo Nara retrospective opens at Hayward Gallery, marking UK solo debut
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Wednesday, June 11, 2025


Yoshitomo Nara retrospective opens at Hayward Gallery, marking UK solo debut
Yoshitomo Nara, One Foot in the Groove, 2012. Courtesy Private collection. © Yoshitomo Nara, courtesy Yoshitomo Nara Foundation.



LONDON.- The Hayward Gallery presents the first UK solo exhibition at a public art gallery by leading Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. The major retrospective invites viewers to immerse themselves in the intriguing world of one of today’s most celebrated artists through four decades of work, including recent paintings and drawings, as well as sculptures and iconic portraits brought to life through richly layered colours. Expanding on the blockbuster exhibition from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and Museum Frieder Burda, Baden-Baden, Yoshitomo Nara offers a window into the inner-workings of the artist, providing an insight into how Nara’s life experiences are intrinsically linked to his output through core themes and motifs.


📚 Uncover the stories behind the iconic characters. Find "The Lonesome Puppy" and more by Yoshitomo Nara on Amazon.


Yoshitomo Nara is best-known for his striking images of child-like figures and animals with large heads and wide eyes that challenge viewers with their direct gaze and defiant stance. Both captivating and ominous, these characters exemplify Nara’s distinctive style that is recognised across the world. Although primarily a painter, he also works with a variety of materials across collage, sculpture, drawing, and installation to explore ideas of home, isolation, nature, peace, resistance and freedom.

Organised thematically, the exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Nara’s artistic evolution, illuminating his deep interest in humanity with works inspired by the people, emotions and places that he has encountered throughout his life.

Nara’s formative years in Japan’s northern Tōhoku region were spent drawing and listening to the Far East Network (FEN): the radio station for American troops stationed in Japan during the Vietnam War. Throughout the retrospective, viewers can see how Nara’s art often draws from his lifelong love of music, ranging from the antiwar folksongs by American singer-songwriters heard on FEN, to the melancholy sounds of the blues and, more recently, punk and new wave.

Studying and living in Germany also proved crucial in establishing Nara’s style. Upon visiting Germany in 1980, he discovered the masters of European modernism, the early Middle Ages and the Renaissance which influenced his later works. Enrolling at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf, Nara was unable to speak German and used his art to express himself, utilising techniques learnt from Neo-Expressionist artist A. R. Penck. Nara’s big-eyed characters were created in this period, with early works like Ships in Girl (1992) countering the popular Japanese kawaii (cute) style through their mysterious expressions and rebellious demeanour.

The exhibition highlights the political and societal discourse within Nara’s work, with disasters such as the Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi power plant failure fueling his artistic response to the widespread feelings of loss and pain caused by these events. Works like From the Bomb Shelter (2017), which shows a child tentatively emerging from an underground bunker, reflect his changed viewpoint of the world. Meanwhile, recent paintings such as Midnight Tears (2023) emanate uncertainty through the ethereal, fragmented touches of colour and tear-filled eyes of the child it depicts.

Yoshitomo Nara marks a continuation of the Hayward Gallery’s longstanding commitment to bringing world-class art to the nation, echoing the Southbank Centre’s drive to introduce unbeatable cultural experiences to new audiences.

Yung Ma, Senior Curator of the Hayward Gallery, says: “We have the tendency to overuse the word ‘iconic’ but in the case of Yoshitomo Nara, I can hardly think of a more apt description. Nara’s wide-eyed figures have become some of the most recognised motifs in contemporary art. His work engages with us emotionally, exemplifying how the power of art can transcend beyond the walls of a gallery to reach people far and wide.”

Ralph Rugoff, Director of the Hayward Gallery, says: “‘Rendered in an appealing and deceptively simple style, Nara’s portraits of imaginary characters evince a psychological immediacy that bridges the gap between high art and popular culture. Conveying a compelling tenderness that speaks to our desire for connection, his pictures also tap into widespread feelings of alienation, anxiety, and resistance. This is a rare achievement and it has made him one of the pivotal figures in contemporary art over the past 30 years.’”

Yoshitomo Nara is curated by Hayward Gallery Senior Curator, Yung Ma, with Assistant Curator, Katie Guggenheim, and Curatorial Assistant, Charlotte dos Santos. The exhibition is generously supported by Hiroyuki Maki, the Huo Family Foundation, and the Bukhman Foundation. We are also grateful for key support from Marc and Lynne Benioff; BLUM Los Angeles, Tokyo, New York; and Pace Gallery. Our thanks also go to Lady Alison Deighton; Solina Chau; Nicolas Dreyfus; Jenny Yeh, Winsing Arts Foundation; Eleanor and Francis Shen; the Japan Foundation and the Japan House London Trust.

A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition. Designed by Praline, the book includes newly commissioned essays by art historian Yeewon Koon and art critic Barry Schwabsky. It also features an essay by academic and music critic Josh Kun, an interview with the artist by Hayward Gallery Senior Curator Yung Ma and a newly compiled illustrated chronology.


Artdaily participates in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn commissions by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help us continue curating and sharing the art world’s latest news, stories, and resources with our readers.










Today's News

June 10, 2025

Introducing VENUE: a new digital journal of the Midwest Art History Society

So far, so close: Guadalupe, Mexico, in Spain opens at the Prado Museum

Miller & Milller announces results of 5 days of auctions

Morphy's June 21 Santa Fe Old West auction features Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger mask and Colt Revolvers

Olafur Eliasson, 'Long daylight pavilion' & 'Viewing machine' in Helsinki

Yoshitomo Nara retrospective opens at Hayward Gallery, marking UK solo debut

Major public and private investment secured for the transformation of Tate Liverpool

Exhibition featuring the work of Julia Margaret Cameron on view at The Morgan Library & Museum

Alte Nationalgalerie unveils "Camille Claudel and Bernhard Hoetger: Emancipation from Rodin"

V&A opens Design and Disability exhibition

BAMPFA appoints Chief Development Officer

Ivan Falardi brings "Eyes in Havana" to Cuba: A fresh look at vision

Three iconic Ferrari Daytonas offered exclusively through a sealed bid at RM Sotheby's

Exhibition showcases the vibrant history of Eugene's lesbian community

Tarik Kiswanson, Fatima Moallim, Lisa Tan: 3 somrar/3 summers opens at Lunds konsthall

Museum Angewandte Kunst celebrates 100 Years of The New Frankfurt

Edwin Hale Lincoln's "Wild Flowers" on display at Boston Athenaeum

Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery opens an exhibition of works by Jonny Briggs

Freudian Typo (Ghazaleh Avarzamani and Ali Ahadi): Condensed Word, Displaced Flesh at Delfina Foundation

Ali Cherri's "The Watchers" opens at [mac] Marseille, weaving new narratives with city collections

Deichtorhallen Hamburg presents second Viral Hallucinations symposium

Antonis Donef declares himself "Time's Witness" in new Kalfayan Galleries show

Rachel Jones unveils "Gated Canyons" at Dulwich Picture Gallery, her first UK solo show

Ruby City acquires work by artist Robert Hodge




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor:  Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt
(52 8110667640)

Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful