Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool

Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool
Through January 2, 2011
asiasociety.org/yoshitomonara

Discussion
A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara and Hideki Toyoshima
Friday, September 10, 6:30 pm

Artist Conversation and Book Launch
Hiroshi Sugimoto in Conversation with Melissa Chiu
Thursday, October 14, 6:30 pm
Asian Art Now book launch follows

Asia Society Museum devotes its entire museum space to a major exhibition of Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, one of the most influential Neo Pop artists working today. More than one hundred works including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and installations—many of which have never been exhibited in the United States—will emphasize the relationship of Nara’s art to rock and punk music, which has been an ongoing source of inspiration and prevailing reference point in his work.

“For the first time in Asia Society’s history, the entire Museum will be devoted to the work of one contemporary artist,” notes Asia Society Museum Director Melissa Chiu, who cocurated the exhibition with the Museum’s Associate Curator Miwako Tezuka. “We think this is fitting, given Nara’s considerable body of work, often associated with manga and the Japanese Pop movement of the 1990s,” Chiu says. “Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool aims to shed new light on the artist’s practice, focusing on the pervasive influence of rock and punk music on Nara, through the exhibition’s content, thematic focus, and unique installations.”

In conjunction with Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool, Art Production Fund, in association with Asia Society, presents two large outdoor sculptures on Park Avenue. Nara, who often uses dogs and children as subjects in his work, uniquely combines the two for White Ghost. The sculptures are on view from early September through November.

Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool is accompanied by a fully illustrated 271-page catalogue, published by Asia Society Museum in association with Abrams, New York. The book includes contributions from the curators and leading contemporary art critics Midori Matsui and Michael Wilson, an extensive interview with Nara, and an essay by the artist’s long-time installation design collaborator Hideki Toyoshima.

To purchase, visit AsiaStore.org.

Share the Nara experience online:
asiasociety.org/yoshitomonara
Twitter:#YoshitomoNara
Flickr:YoshitomoNara

Buy Asia Society Museum’s Yoshitomo Nara iPhone app and view image slideshows, learn more about his favorite music, read a selection of his quotes and receive updates on Nara events. The app’s icon was specially designed by Nara.

Critical support for Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool comes from our lead sponsor for this project, The W.L.S. Spencer Foundation. Major support provided by Mori Building Co., Ltd., and by Alex Appel in honor of her mother, Carol Appel. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.