Yoshitomo Nara, Lookin' for a Treasure, 1995
Estimate on Request
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 30 March
Yoshitomo Nara’s evocative artistry has stirred a quiet storm in the art world.
His "Nara girls" are the embodiment of mayhem and innocence, as they evoke a sense of childlike wonder that speaks to the universal desire for joy and freedom. The large-headed child with pudgy cheeks and narrowed, fixatedly piercing jellybean eyes and small, cherry-red lips, forms the expression of a mischievous, confident smirk that quietly confronts the viewer.
In Lookin' for a Treasure, Nara’s unique style is on full display. The golden-yellow dressed girl stands out against the pale blue background, emanating a sense of playfulness. The painting beckons the viewer to embark on a journey of discovery, to join the girl in the search for the treasure.
Lookin' for a Treasure is one of Nara’s rarest works on canvas. It belongs to a small series of only four canvases Nara painted in 1995 that feature a golden-yellow dressed girl against a pale blue background. Of the series, one has been acquired by the Tokushima Modern Art Museum for its permanent collection, while the other two paintings have not been offered before at auction. This highly coveted piece is expected to fetch a high price at Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong.
An Artistic Awakening: Nara’s Momentous Year of 1995
The year 1995 marked a significant turning point in Yoshitomo Nara's artistic journey. It was a year of transformation, a year of new beginnings and profound discoveries that shaped his creative vision for years to come.
The release of his first monograph offered a glimpse into Nara’s creative process, revealing a world that was at once playful and poignant, innocent and subversive. It established his status as a leading contemporary artist, inspiring and captivating audiences with his unique style and idiosyncratic characters.
In the same year, Nara's partnership with the esteemed Blum & Poe Gallery in Los Angeles opened the doors for him on the global stage, exposing his work to new audiences and showcasing the breadth of his talent.
But it was his breakthrough solo exhibition at SCAI the Bathhouse in Tokyo, titled "In the Deepest Puddle” that truly defined his career. This exhibition marked a turning point in his artistic journey, propelling him to international fame and solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in contemporary art.
Within this pivotal year, Lookin’ for a Treasure was created, capturing the essence of Nara's artistic vision and evoking a sense of wonder and mystery that continues to captivate audiences today.
Rock and Roll: Fuelling His Creative Fire
Nara's artistic vision was deeply influenced by the music that he listened to, particularly punk, rock, and folk. In 1995, his studio in Cologne became the beating heart of his world, where he worked long into the night to the sound of melodies that stirred his soul. It was here that Nara captured his unique blend of introspective emotions, perfectly translating his sense of contemplative loneliness and longing onto canvas. This period of intense creative output produced some of his most prized works, including the enigmatic Lookin' for a Treasure.
As Takashi Azumaya astutely notes, “a rock musician can share mental impulses with his audience in real-time, depending on the beat or the warped guitar sound he plays.” Nara too, realised something profound within himself as he worked. This connection to music is palpable in his artistic style, which is both playful and provocative, evoking a sense of youthful rebellion and defiance.
The Allure of Yellow
Featuring a Nara girl against a pale blue background, the protagonist in Lookin’ for a Treasure wears a golden dress that is as vibrant as her sapphire-toned eyes.
Yoshitomo Nara, Lookin' for a Treasure, 1995 (detail)
Estimate on Request
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 30 March
Nara’s yellow-dressed muses are much more exclusive than their red and blue counterparts. As few as 20 yellow-dressed girls feature in his paintings before 2000, compared to more than 50 dressed in blue and 80 in red. And yet, three out of five of Nara’s highest results at auction are for works featuring yellow or yellow-red adorned heroines, confirming that this is a particularly coveted trait within the artist’s oeuvre.
Perhaps the reason for the desirability of these golden girls lies in the auspicious and sacred symbolism conjured by the colour golden-yellow. In Chinese culture, it is considered imperial and reserved for the emperor, representing power, royalty, and prosperity. In Japan, yellow is considered the colour of nature and sunshine, whereas it symbolises joy and optimism in Western culture. The meaning of the colour gold is multifaceted, often denoting generosity and compassion, as well as being synonymous with divinity and status in many religious settings, including in Renaissance art.
The Mystical Realm: The Artist's Spiritual Evolution
It is not just the colour of the dress that makes Nara girls so special.
When examined collectively, it can be hypothesised that Nara was interested in the fundamental elements that define our world at the time of their execution — earth, air, water and spirit. Untitled (Broken Treasure) depicts a figure clutching a plant, which could represent the earth, while I'm Swaying in the Air references our atmosphere. Walking with Little Steps portrays an androgynous, small child carrying a fishing rod, suggesting water. In Lookin’ for a Treasure, the protagonist engages in the act of dowsing, which alludes to mysticism, magic, and the otherworldly.
Yoshitomo Nara, Untitled (Broken Treasure), 1995
acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 cm
Collection of The Tokushima Modern Art Museum
Artwork: © Yoshitomo Nara
Yoshitomo Nara, Lookin’ for a Treasure, 1995
acrylic on canvas, 120 x 110 cm.
The present lot
Nara’s time in Germany marked a significant shift in his style, as he departed from the vibrant tones and harsh outlines of his earlier works. This period of tremendous growth allowed him to refine his painting technique and explore new forms of expression. Lookin' for a Treasure reflects this evolution, with its subdued palette and delicate brushwork reflecting the artist’s newfound sensitivity to light, shadow, and human emotion.
The Nara girl in Lookin' for a Treasure holds a set of dowsing tools, which somewhat resemble paintbrushes and alludes to the possibility that the Nara girl is a self-portrait of the artist himself, searching for ‘treasure’ in the development of his art during his years in Germany.
The painting's title references the L-shaped dowsing prongs the child points forward, capturing the adventurous spirit of the Nara girl as she searches intently.
Dowsing has a long and diverse history in Germany as a type of divination, with many distinct practitioners and schools of thought arising over the years, and it is probable Nara first became acquainted with it during his time in Europe. The theory behind the practice suggests that divining tools such as a forked stick or prongs react to subtle vibrations or energy fields emanating from water, minerals, or other hidden treasures, guiding the dowser to their hidden locations.
Nara’s Journey: Ripples in Tranquil Waters
For Nara, the ideas conveyed in Lookin' for a Treasure serve as a powerful metaphor for his own journey. At the time of its creation, he was on the brink of international success, and his largely isolated childhood in postwar Hirosaki, where Nara had two working parents and was thus largely left to his own devices, had shaped his identity. His path traversed Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music near Nagoya, and later, Germany, where he deepened his love for music.
Over time, he became entranced by a myriad of subcultures and immersed himself in the heart of various communities. Each monumental experience gracefully wove into the iridescent tapestry of his distinctive sense of self, resulting in a triumph of artistic identity.
Today, Yoshitomo Nara’s art has captivated audiences around the world. The artist’s mesmerising world has graced the halls of the most prestigious art institutions across the globe, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Asia Society Museum in New York, and the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art. An illustrious milestone in the artist’s ascending journey, the 2019 Nara retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art was applauded as a masterstroke.
Lookin' for a Treasure encapsulates the Nara girl as a symbolic embodiment of Nara’s own artistic journey — the relentless pursuit of evolution and self-discovery elegantly mirroring his ever-transforming art and indomitable spirit. It transcends mere painting, emanating a beguiling introspection that lulls the viewer into a serene realm, where emotions lay bare and vulnerable.
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale
Hong Kong 30 March 2023
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale
Hong Kong 31 March 2023