THE ARTIST

◀ 奈良美智《咖啡杯孩子們 (單一件)》1995 壓克力 漆 玻璃纖維95(長) x 95(寬) x 110(高)cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號238 Yoshitomo Nara, Cup Kids (unique), 1995, acrylic, lacquer and cotton on FRP, 95(L) x 95(W) x 110(H)cm, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 238 All of my works are reflections of myself. They are conversations with myself. — Yoshitomo Nara

奈良美智，無疑是近年藝術市場最炙手可熱的日本藝術家名字之 一，他的作品孤獨卻溫暖、簡單卻觸動人心，以童趣卻叛逆的形象令人 著迷，深受收藏家追捧。自詡為吟遊詩人，有著搖滾叛逆卻充滿人道的 溫暖心懷， 喜歡一邊旅行一邊創作，在回憶童年時代的創作中，描繪 出動人的生命經歷。

「我的全部作品其實是我內心的自畫像，是和自己的對話。」 －奈良美智

偏好獨自創作，跨界廣受流行時尚、文學與大眾文化喜愛的奈良美 智。對於他而言藝術啟蒙於音樂，但旅行可說是告別一段生命里程的重 要儀式；旅行也讓奈良美智找到和世界溝通的途徑，驅動他去探索人生 的未知。遊走於學院知性研究與旅行的感性啟發，求學期間，兩度到歐 洲旅行。而第二次的旅行參觀完 1987 年卡塞爾文件大展之後，心中有 了決定，結束七年名古屋的學習，隔年前往德國留學。

盡顯精髓的象徵性年份 — 獨樹一格的大頭娃娃

在異鄉期間也經常一個人面對創作時的孤立狀態，此件標誌性大型 創作《咖啡杯孩子們》創作於 1995 年，不僅是一件盡顯精髓的代表性 作品，更創作於奈良美智生涯中極為重要的象徵性年份，也是藝術家的 創作突破的轉捩點。這年春天他將自己的作品從德國帶回東京著名的澡 堂畫廊（SCAI The Bathhouse）舉辦第一次個展《很深很深的水坑》同 時他首次展覽發表第一件大型小狗雕塑，成功獲得迴響。隨後逐漸創作 更多以 玻璃纖維為媒材，將畫裡的小孩與動物 轉 換成雕塑作品；同年海外亦並首次

由 Blum & Poe 畫廊在美國加 州舉行個展，種種變化與契 機將他推向國際舞台。

《咖啡杯孩子們》為七 件一組作品中的其中一 件，有著大耳朵的 孩童單獨置身於咖 啡杯中，無論他們 正閉著或瞪著眼， 展現了奈良美智對潛 意識超現實深度的 研究，藝術家真 實面對自身的情 感，如夢遊般拒絕 與外界交往的表現。讓觀者於夢與醒之間感到孤獨與寧靜，彷彿被安排 進入奈良美智夢中的場景，歡樂卻靜止畫面中讓人沉澱心靈。奈良美智 的娃娃們一向反映出藝術家心境與生命歷程，雙眼緊閉，沉吟忖度，帶 給觀者極大的想像空間。2000 年規劃聖塔莫尼卡美術館展覽時，也想 以「咖啡杯孩子們」為主題來創作，足見他對「咖啡杯孩子們」在藝術 家創作生涯深具象徵意義。

走入大眾的重要里程碑

「現在的畫不只單方面投射出情感，也希望看的人能夠感受到」 — 奈良美智

孤獨，是奈良美智作品裡的人物的共同點，成長於寒冷的青森縣弘 前市，如他所言「我非常的孤單，周遭只有蘋果樹⋯，我能說話的對象 只有大自然，所以我會對樹、對狗、對豬⋯，所以我對大自然有種特殊 的情感，幾年之後，我發現這其實不是件壞事。」旅居德國期間前後長 達了 12 年，離鄉背井的奈良美智與故鄉間的距離有著好幾萬公里之遙， 在語言全然不通的情況下，猶如一場長年自我放逐的創作之旅。奈良曾 說過「杜塞爾多夫的冷與暗很像在青森縣成長的那段時光，與日本疏 離，這讓我想起我是誰，也幫助我重新發現自己。」

2002 年 9 月底，奈良美智與知名攝影工作者川內倫子，一同踏上 前往阿富汗的旅途，反思人性，關懷社會。出生於 1952 年的奈良美智 是這麼形容自己出生與成長的年代：「那是一個每戶人家都有戰死親人 的時代。」而於 2002 年前往戰爭中的阿富汗旅行後更清楚向觀者遞出 他「反對戰爭」的想法。《距離戰爭 2000 光年》試圖喚起在全球政治 下，人們直面「反戰」的責任。2001 年，村上隆曾公開評論，奈良所 擁有的是超越藝術，召喚民眾聚集起來的吸引力—「一股不流血革命的 能力」，而奈良美智也從一路從孤獨，私密創作與自我對話的路途中， 逐漸創作出帶給人們希望的作品。

2006 年以故鄉青森縣弘前市的老舊紅磚倉庫作為發表的舞台，將 奈良美智從過去 90 年代曾經在各國展示會上登場的作品一併納入，將 工作室帶到展場，從創作走到生活，總數 44 間的小屋結集出獨特的街 道聚落，募集了超過一萬三千名義工與創作團隊 graf 所合作完成的展覽 會「A to Z」，製作規模與人數前所未聞之多，連藝術家都直言此生應 該是只此展覽一次。《告訴我為什麼 (A to Z)》即興塗鴉於居酒屋的廁 所門上，正值於 2006 年，那時的奈良美智彷彿回到了兒時的小鎮生活。 也因為「A to Z」開啟了與大眾的連結，他的創作有著矛盾的混合體， 擁有反叛性格的天真外表小女孩，不可妥協卻又堅強抵禦外在世界，這 種童真的叛逆感成型於這個時期，鑄就了後來大家所熟知的奈良特質。

NO ONE TRULY UNDERSTANDS LIFE, ONE HAS TO FEEL IT YOSHITOMO NARA

▶ 奈良美智《告訴我為什麼 (A to Z) 》 2006 奇異筆 油彩 壁紙 門片 174.5(長) x 60.5(寬) x 4.7(厚) cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號239 Yoshitomo NARA, Tell Me Why (A to Z), 2006, marker pen, oil, wallpaper on door, 174.5(L) x 60.5(W) x 4.7(D) cm, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 239 回思雕塑—311 後的低潮與希望

「沒有人能真正參透生命的意義，我們要做的只是感受。」－奈良美智

2011 年 3 月 11 日，東日本大地震震擊了日本，也撼動了全世界。當時的奈良美 智對於來自日本地震災區的所產生虛無感與創傷也如海嘯般來襲，即便親身前往災區 賑災，在那之後半年依舊無法動筆畫畫。他跟隨了攝影大師荒木經惟摸索攝影，也慢 慢從像是有著土地的溫暖般的泥塑找回創作溫度。有別於 1990 年代所使用玻璃纖維 所製作光滑夢幻的大型雕塑創作，2011 年開始奈良美智回歸手感的陶土雕塑，黏土 為沒有矯飾的天然材質，更使得他於泥塑過程找回與自己的對話。《雕塑的習作》為 原 13 件一組素描作品中的一件，有些繪於泥塑完成前，有些繪於泥塑製作完成之後， 為泥塑雕塑的草稿或素描，紀錄了當時奈良美智對於雕塑媒材的無限可能性。奈良嘗 試將畫作中表現的複雜情感、激發更深層的內在世界，轉移到更具體的媒材，後期的 立體雕塑有著他對於生命深刻的無常體悟。

在他的藝術創作裡，不論媒材，繪畫與雕塑互有特色、互相影響，持續精進。其 畫作《背後藏刀》於 2019 年以逾 7 億 7 千萬台幣打破了個人拍賣紀錄（1.95 億港幣 成交），而大型房屋裝置《柏林巴克，1 號室》於 2021 年拍出逾 4 億 7 千萬台幣的 高價（1.2 億港幣成交），顯示奈良美智奠定的人氣經年不墜，他強勢的影響力跨越 國界，除了身受藏家喜愛，無數年輕藝術家亦受其風格影響。他不被框限的才情，這 位不願長大的藝術家，奈良美智正在持續記錄他精彩動人的生命經歷。

Yoshitomo Nara is considered as one of the most sought-after artists of the contemporary art market. His works bring about the feeling of loneliness and warmth in their simplistic compositions. The juxtaposition of child-like form and rebelliousness is intriguing in his works. With a poetic, rebellious and gentle personality, Nara loves creating his artwork whilst traveling when his memories of childhood were vivid, thereby incorporating his experience in his works.

"All of my works are reflections of myself. They are conversations with myself", Yoshitomo Nara.

As a lone artist, Yoshitomo Nara is well-acclaimed among the fashion, literary and pop culture scenes. He believes art is inspired by music while traveling constitutes a means to an end in a stage of life. Travel is a bridge of communication between the artist and the world. It leads him to explore unknowns in life. After two travels in Europe, the second time being a visit to documenta 8 in Kassel in 1987, Nara was faced with the empirical theories at school and the romantic discoveries in travels. Since then, he was determined to end his seven years of education in Nagoya and opted for German education.

Symbolistic Depiction: Children with Huge Heads

Loneliness is prevalent among travelers away from home. This large-scale representative work, Cup Kids, was completed in 1995, a significant year of Nara's career. That year was the turning point of his artistic career as his works were brought from Germany to SCAI The Bathhouse Gallery in Tokyo for his first solo exhibition "In the Deepest Puddle". It was also the time when his first gigantic dog sculpture received positive feedback from the art scene. Since then, similar subjects of glass fiber were

YOSHITOMO NARA TELL ME WHY

made and subjects on canvas were transformed into sculptures. In that same year, solo exhibitions at Blum & Poe Gallery in California, USA were held, bringing Nara closer to the international art platform.

Cup Kids is one of the seven components of the work. Children with big years were composed in a big coffee cup. Some with eyes closed and some opened. This shows the artist's awareness of subconsciousness which is the way the artist used in his journey of self-exploration. To a certain extent, this is equivalent to sleepwalk, as one shut itself from temptations. As the viewer experiences the solitude and tranquilness brought by the message of sleep and being awake, one travels into the dream of Nara, from a clamorous stage into a world of meditation. Children of Nara are reflections of the artist's emotional state and life

experiences. They open the door towards self-meditation in tranquility. In 2000, Cup Kids was once considered as an exhibition highlight in an exhibition held at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. This highlights the significance of the work to the artist.

Milestone of the Public World

"My current works serve not only a tool of expression, but a bridge of emotion associated to the viewers", Yoshitomo Nara

Loneliness is the crux of figures featured in Nara's works. Having grown up in the cold Hirosaki, Aomori, Nara once said, "I was very lonely with only apple trees around me⋯ Nature is my own companion, so I will spend time with trees, dogs, pigs⋯ Hence, I have developed a special bond with Nature. A few years later, I realized that this is not a bad thing after all". With 12 years in Germany away from home, Nara experienced years of self-exile under a language barrier. He would compare the cold and dark Dusseldorf with Aomori. He claims that the years away from Japan encouraged his journey to self-exploration and rediscovery.

In September of 2002, Yoshitomo Nara went to Afghanistan with photographer Rinko Kawauchi to contribute to society while exploring the issue of human nature. He said, "This is the time when every family has a loved one sacrificed in a war". Since then, his works deliver a strong anti-war message. 2000 light years from the war brings the world's attention towards our responsibility to establish peace. In 2001, Takashi Murakami publicly commented Nara's art is influential with the ability to deliver messages outside the aesthetic quality of his art. Nara staged his works from loneliness towards hope in the form of internal revelation in both the making and the viewing of the works.

▲ 左：奈良美智《雕塑習作》2011 - 2012 鉛筆 紙本52 x 35.5 cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號302 LEFT: Yoshitomo Nara, Sketches for the Sculpture, 2011 – 2012, pencil on paper, 52 x 35.5 cm, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 302 右：奈良美智《獻給小黑》1992壓克力 拼貼 紙本56 x 41.7 cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號301 RIGHT: Yoshitomo Nara, For Kuro, 1992, acrylic and collage on paper, 56 x 41.7 cm, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 301

In an exhibition named "A to Z" at a former warehouse in Aomori in

2006, Nara chose works from the 1990s that are previously exhibited on international platforms, direct from studio to the exhibition ground of 44 buildings. A total of 13,000 volunteers and the graf team were involved in putting up this exhibition. Such grand production scale was phenomenal as it was considered as a once in a lifetime experience by the artist. Tell Me Why (A to Z) was a spontaneous graffiti at the door of a washroom in a local bar. It was created in 2006, the occasion where Nara revisited his childhood town. As "A to Z" reconnects with the public, the juxtaposition of child-like and rebellious girl associates with a fight against negativity of the world, hence this constitutes to the form of art in his later stage of the career.

Art of Ponder: Despair and Hope of Post-311

"No one truly understands life, one has to feel it", Yoshitomo Nara

On 11th March 2011, Japan was hit severely by an earthquake. The severity shook the world. In the aftermath of this hazard, Nara helped with the settlement, yet the shock was so immense that he couldn't produce any works for half a year. Along with Nobuyoshi Araki, he explored photography and slowly recovered through the touch of clay. In contrast with the smooth sculptures made with glass fiber, the clay that Nara used since 2011 is austere and rough in texture. Such austere nature engages a private conversation with himself. Sketches for the Sculpture is formed by a lot of thirteen sketches, some of them were done in various times at the production of a clay work. They capture the myriad possibilities of Nara's sculptures as he tried to consolidate complex feelings through his internal struggles into a sculptural form. By his later artistic career, Nara's sculptures carry a strong message from his reflection towards life.

Regardless of the media, Nara's works are unique in their own way and become more refined towards his mature stage. Knife Behind Back fetched NT$770 million (HK$195 million) in 2019, breaking the artist's record at auction. Berlin Barack, Room 1 sold for NT$470 million (HK$120 million) in 2021, showing the long-lasting fame of the artist around the globe. Being well-loved by collectors, Nara's works also influence the style of the younger generation of artists. As a rebellious artist towards boundaries of life, Yoshitomo Nara is a child-like artist who lives to document his life experiences into intriguing works of art.

▲ 左：奈良美智《距離戰爭2000光年》彩色鉛筆 紙本30.5 x 22.7 cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號304 Yoshitomo Nara, 2000 Light Years from the War, 2002, coloured pencil on paper, 30.5 x 22.7 cm, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 304 右：奈良美智《簽名塗鴉》1999 馬克筆 紙本 18 x 14 cm 羅芙奧台北2022秋拍「現代與當代藝術」編號297 Yoshitomo Nara, Autograph, 1999, marker pen on paper, 18 x 14 cm Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022 Modern & Contemporary Art, lot 297