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Published to accompany the large-scale exhibition of Yoshitomo Nara’s works at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (April 2021–January 2022), this catalogue provides an in-depth look at each period of Nara’s career.

Primarily known for his paintings of wide-eyed characters, Yoshitomo Nara is one of the most significant living Japanese artist whose works have smoothly crossed over into mass culture. In addition to Nara’s most well-known pieces, the book presents the full range of his work, including his earliest paintings as well as commercial works, bronze sculptures and the critically acclaimed pieces created following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Essays by curator Mika Yoshitake and LACMA director Michael Govan provide a comprehensive overview of Nara’s 30-year long career. Further, in a longer essay, Nara himself writes about his personal record collection and the huge influence album covers had on his art (published for the first time in English).