Yoshitomo Nara

Meridian Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner in October 2005

Japan, Setagaya Art Museum, Art/Domestic, February - March 1999 (another example exhibited)
Cologne, Galerie Jöhnen & Schöttle, In the Empty Fortress, March - April 2000 (another example exhibited)
Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Yoshitomo Nara/Walk On, March - June 2000 (another example exhibited)
Nuremberg, Institut für Moderne Kunst; Munich, Michael Zink Gallery, Yoshitomo Nara: Lullaby Supermarket, September - November 2002, pp. 14, 140-141 and 197, illustrated (another example exhibited)
Seattle, Henry Art Gallery; West Palm Beach, Norton Museum of Art; Tampa Museum of Art; Chicago Cultural Center; Crosscurrents at Century's End: Selections from the Neuberger Berman Art Collection, June 2003 - June 2004, pl. XL, p. 91, illustrated in color (another example exhibited)
Jerusalem, The Israel Museum, Rising Sun, Melting Moon: Contemporary Art in Japan, December 2005 - June 2006 (another example exhibited)

Phaidon, Ed., Cream 3: 100 Contemporary Artists: 10 Curators, 100 Contemporary Artists, 10 Source Artists, London 2003, p. 242, illustrated 
Mark Coetzee, Not Afraid: Rubell Family Collection, New York 2004, p. 87, illustrated
Yoshitomo Nara, Yoshitomo Nara: The Complete Works: Paintings, Sculptures, Editions, Photographs, Vol. 1, Tokyo, 2011, cat. no. S-1999-009, p. 270, illustrated in color

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. Brown sculpture: there is minor rubbing to the top and back of the head, several areas within the body portion and on the bottom turning edge of the reverse, only visible upon close inspection. There is a minor surface accretion approximately 1 inch from the left corner of the lips. Blue sculpture: there is a minor scuff at the center of the right hand and on the bottom edge of the reverse, only visible upon close inspection. There is a pinpoint accretion and minor discoloration on the right side of the sculpture’s back. Yellow sculpture: there are minor surface accretions on the surface of the face, most noticeably on the right cheek, under the right nostril and again on the left side of the left nostril. There is a minor surface accretion to the left side along the bottom edge. There is minor lifting to one of the patches on the left side of the head, approximately 3 inches below the bottom of the left ear. Red sculpture: There are three pinpoint surface accretions on the top of the face, approximately 1 inch from where the face meets the red fabric.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Little Pilgrims stand rooted within Yoshitomo Nara’s prolific oeuvre exploring the expansive discourse around themes of innocence that are both highly personal and universally relatable. Like many of Nara’s works, The Little Pilgrims are engaging and approachable figures that are neither male nor female, nor child or adult. This ambiguity on many levels allows for an empathic viewer to slip into the fiberglass body of The Little Pilgrims, or to grab hold of their outstretched arms and embark on one’s own journey within the infinite possibilities beyond the realm of the conscious mind. The figures’ sleepy eyes evoke innocent dreams of adolescence, and the notion that the imagination is mythically infinite in scope and possibility.

Born in Hirosaki, Japan, Nara attended the Kunstkademir Düsseldorf in 1988. Following his formal training, Nara frequently denounced any association to other internationally recognized proponents of Japanese visual culture, such as the Superflat movement of the 1990s. Rather, Nara stresses the significance of the highly personal origin of his characters; they symbolize a nostalgic resuscitation of the sense of emotive fantasy fed by his identification as a child who grew up too soon during a transitional period in Japan. In The Little Pilgrims, we see remnants of the artist’s longstanding attempt to explore beyond the realm of the conscious mind by unraveling the subtle desires ingrained deep within that carry us to new places within the physical and spiritual world.

While Nara frequently utilized the emblem of the young girl to explore hostility, rebellion and playful violence, there was a visual shift in these characters at the end of the decade; Nara’s once fickle and fiery characters appeared to be softer, relying more heavily on the viewer’s subconscious. In following with this newfound emotional ambiguity, Nara sweetened his palette and dissolved harsh lines to create a mysterious and ethereal depth that finds its apotheosis in the present example. The Little Pilgrims stand in harmonious tranquility and unwavering perseverance as they embark with the viewer on a pilgrimage of endless discovery.