Yoshitomo Nara’s Top of the World captures a precarious and suspenseful moment, featuring two small feet – presumably belonging to one of his signature childlike figures – poised atop a slender, unstable platform. The pole below appears haphazardly secured with rope, amplifying the tension between adventure and fragility. This work embodies the spirit of childhood, where thrill-seeking and risk-taking collide with vulnerability and uncertainty. The minimal composition, with its isolated figure high above, evokes a sense of youthful determination and the exhilarating desire to conquer one’s world, no matter how flimsy the footing. Nara’s choice to depict this small yet courageous act mirrors the resilience and bold imagination that underpin much of his practice.
Nara’s broader practice centres on his recurring childlike figures, who embody a childlike sense of imagination as well as an ever-present loneliness. The artist grew up in a remote town in picturesque Aomori, the northernmost province of Japan, located approximately 700 kilometres north of Tokyo. He has recalled a profound loneliness in his childhood; “When you are a kid, you are too young to know you are lonely, sad, upset,” said Nara, “…now I know I was.” His young characters are reflective of this notion, each image a glimpse into another facet of his internal psyche. At the same time, the endearing youthful figures and clean compositions typical of his style make these emotions feel both personal and universal, inviting viewers to reflect on their own inner worlds. Often depicted alone, these characters inhabit quiet, self-contained worlds, amplifying their emotional intensity and individuality.
“Yoshitomo Nara had never hesitated to try new techniques, and he never failed.”
— Hitoshi Kido
Top of the World is one of Nara’s twelve etchings printed in collaboration with master printer Hitoshi Kido at KIDO Press Gallery in Tokyo. Executed early in the artist’s career, they were his first series of etchings and Nara drew on the original etching plates himself, unlike for later editioned prints. The body of work innovatively draws on the wealth of traditional Japanese printmaking techniques while utilising etching, aquatint, drypoint, and more. To read more about Yoshitomo Nara’s collaboration with KIDO Press Gallery, read our interview with master printer Hitoshi Kido here.