Vienna, Albertina Modern: »Yoshitomo Nara. All My Little Words«

A Roller-Coaster of Emotions

The Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara loads his strong-character figures with the entire spectrum of emotions. The faces range from grim to pensive. On the basis of his graphic oeuvre, the Albertina Modern in Vienna, starting on May 10, conveys how the emotions have alternated over the decades.

May 10, 2023
Yoshitomo Nara, Miss Margaret, 2016, Acrylic on canvas
Private collection | Courtesy Pace Gallery © Yoshitomo Nara
Yoshitomo Nara, Miss Margaret, 2016, Acrylic on canvas

Yoshitomo Nara projects feelings of abandonment, vulnerability, discontent, anger, and rebellion into the faces of his figurative recognizers, the grim-faced girls. Visitors to the Albertina Modern in Vienna will look into their faces starting May 10. Yoshitomo Nara. All My Little Words approaches the Japanese artist's life's work from its beginnings through his common ductus to his late work, which was significantly shaped by the Tōhoku earthquake and the 2011 tsunami in eastern Japan. From then on, he filled his illustrations with the hitherto rather neglected quantum of thoughtfulness.

In this solo show, the Vienna exhibition house focuses mainly on Nara's oeuvre of drawings spanning a total of four decades. The audience accompanies the artist through his everyday drawing life – everything that got in his way functioned as a base: envelopes, exhibition invitations, or restaurant napkins. His thoughts literally flew onto the medium, preserving the entire »emotional range of his seemingly cute characters – from brooding to rebellion.« Until November 1, those interested can immerse themselves in Nara's blameless world.Art.Salon

Yoshitomo Nara, Cup Kid, 2000, Acrylic and collage on paper
Courtesy Pace Gallery © Yoshitomo Nara
Yoshitomo Nara, Cup Kid, 2000, Acrylic and collage on paper

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