Yoshitomo Nara

Stephen Friedman Gallery, London
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is much warmer and richer in the original; the frame tends more towards a pale ice blue, the pale pink background tends more towards a soft peach and the three shapes to the left of the figure tend more towards cream in the original. The illustration also fails to convey the light blue brush strokes that circle the lower half of the figure. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are two faint rub marks; one towards the top right hand corner and another to the centre of the right edge. All further surface irregularities are inherent to the artist's choice of medium and original to the work's execution.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

One of the most prominent artists emanating from Japan's Neo-Pop movement, Yoshitomo Nara takes seemingly sweet images from childhood and infuses them with a sharp-edged adult apprehension. Nara's children have been variously described as fierce, vulnerable, innocent and insolent. Born from Japanese popular culture; manga,  animation and punk rock, these figures resonate deeply across a wide spectrum of backgrounds, and as they are so easy and familiar, often mask a serious social and personal dimension that hides beneath the smooth surface of his works.

In Life is Only One!, we are confronted with a bold philosophical and thought- provoking statement spelt out in bold red lettering, its immediacy enhanced with a large exclamation mark. This is juxtaposed with a cartoon-like young girl in front of a calming soft pastel background. Her hands are mitten-like, her closed eyes revealing long beautiful eyelashes. Although the figure initially appears peaceful and in a dream-like state, there is a slight grimace to her wide red lips. With arms raised in a zombie-cum-sleep-walking stance, her overall impression leaves the viewer uneasy. An adult's perspective is that a chid should have an idyllic and unknowing view of life. Here, Nara turns this innocence on its head with this conceptual dualism of image and message.

The underlining message in Life is Only One! is left open to play with the experiences and consciousnesses of the viewer, and is dependent on how it speaks to the individual; is life passing us by? Are we all sleepwalking through life? Would we rather revert back to our innocent child-like state and be led through life? Here we are forced to confront our presumption of the remoteness of childhood, acknowledging that who we are now is perhaps not so different from who we were then. As a result, we feel a connection with Nara's children and a sense that perhaps we are not so different. Thus, these works become not so much images of others, rather mirrors of ourselves, and reflections on the betrayal of our own lost innocence.

'They are all self-portraits in a way. But the emotions that I feel can, of course, be universal. Often the characters are representations of me but they are also representations of the countless others who identify with them.'