Yoshitomo Nara: My Imperfect Self

Filled with quirky, playful exhibition photographs, this Nara catalog surveys the translation of his signature rebellious aesthetic to statues in bronze and clay

Documenting Yoshitomo Nara's 2025 exhibition at BLUM Los Angeles, My Imperfect Self traces the artist's turn toward bronze sculpture and the poetic potential of imperfection. Including a newly commissioned essay by art historian Yeewan Koon, this book brings together recent works, preparatory drawings and playful photographs of children, dogs and elders-figures that reflect Nara's ongoing curiosity about innocence, experience and emotional depth. It also features 11 mid-size head sculptures exuding a quirky strangeness and dark charm that defines the artist's work. Although cast in bronze, they were first made in clay as palm size pieces. In their transformed state, the malleable nature of the clay's original form remains evident, enticing viewers to retrace Nara's touch across its pillowy surface. These heads, presented for the first time, are integral to Nara's exploration in clay, intertwining ideas and techniques developed since 2011, but also express a poignant return to his roots. Seen together, all the featured works highlight how far Nara has transformed the kawaii aesthetic into an alternate realm of beguiling misfits.
Yoshitomo Nara was born in 1959 in Aomori, Japan, and graduated with a master's degree from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music and later studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. His drawings and paintings are informed by a range of influences, from manga and anime to punk rock. He has also worked in sculpture, ceramic and large-scale installation.