How Yoshitomo Nara Creates Japan’s Most Expensive Artwork 

Thanks for watching! Drop a like if you enjoyed - it really goes a long way!

God I love Nara's work! I have three of his prints in the entrance to my home. They're probably the first thing you see when you walk through the door. I put them up 17 years ago when we first moved here and they're still there! Whilst other art gets moved or swapped for other stuff his stuff just speaks to me in a big way and never gets moved. I am the only female in the house, with only sons and the husband. So, maybe that's why I need to see them every day 😆However, I did not realise he was a fan of The Cramps. As soon as I glimpsed that poster I understood why I love his art. I've generally had some form of Cramps poster/art in my house since I was 15 (on my bedroom wall from the first time I saw them live) and I think I "get" where he's coming from a little more after seeing his work/living spaces. As an artist I also totally get the stepping back phases of the painting process. I have a particular spot in my studio where the piece is placed whilst I sit about 5 metres away. Another way I can "step back" is by taking a photo of the piece and by looking at the photo and not the painting itself, it's just like doing the physical "stepping back" part. Anyway, thanks for this video. It just popped up on my feed so you've got another sub 👍🏻. All the best!

I really like a lot of his art. I do hope he can kick that life-threatening habit of smoking. As an ex-smoker myself, I know it can be done. 35 years clear of it now for me. Good video, Alex!!!

Thanks for putting all of this together!

Great glimpse into a familiar lifestyle and practice. Despite the somewhat random appearance, there is a very tight adaptive order to how the space is used even the apparently random brushes paints etc are all placed and grouped very specifically and efficiently.

Maintaining control and focus! I have to remember that one.

Your previous video on James Jean helped demystify his painting process for me. I didn't know he created his paintings digitally before applying colour. This is an excellent video series; keep it up.

this short documentary about him is bloody awesome ! thank you ....

I‘d love to see more works in progress of contemporary figurative artists

Very insightful content. Thankyou. I quite enjoy seeing people who create their own working life. Being whomever they want to be, a ciggy smoking, rock music blasting, well organised and financially successful artist. Not giving a shit if anybody else doesnt like it. Oh if only we all felt the freedom to create our own successful life. The daily grind is not conducive to such freedom when our energy is sold to an hourly rate. Rock on Nara 🤘 And a definite subscription here. Enjoyed your insight and presentation. Professional delivery. 👏👍

I can relate to just sit in front of what you’ve just made and let it breathe on it’s own. It always is a special moment.

Great series, I appreciate the insights! I think Brâncuși is a must for this series. He lived and worked in the same building and would often photograph his sculptures in the studio because he was invested in the relation between the works and the studio space. So invested that he only did that towards the end of his life.

I was wrong. I can relate to solo free style rock climbing after all! I see the beauty in that. The emotion, the sweat, intense concentration. Thank you for posting. Now wonder why on earth someone would pay millions for a painting of a petulant child.

So cool to see behind the scenes videos. Great content!

You do a great job on these studio tours. I look forward to more. I'm also interested to see where/how your studio tours evolve. Best wishes to you.

Thank you, what a great break down :) really helpful

what a well-structured video and narrative! It was very captivating to watch. I would also be interested to see another type of artist analyzed by you too other than painters. :)

Great video, and it's nice to see this artist being highlighted like this. Also reminded me that I have one of his 'Too young to die' ashtrays :)

06:08 nice to see a copy of photographer Harry Callahan's book on the table (largely obscured), the Vivian Maier self-portraits book, and that famous Arbus 'twins' picture on the wall (with two tiny toy figures on top of the frame).

I am a scrap metal artist who is self taught. I took some art classes in college way before I got into making art myself but I learned there is a "low brow, high brow" differentiation in the art world. In most cases unless you have a degree in art you're never taken seriously as an artist and can be shunned, even if your art is exceptional. I've seen incredibly talented self taught artists looked down on because of their lack of degree?! It would be good to mention whether he was classically trained or self taught just for interest. Thanks for a great video!

Thank you! Fascinating and informative video. I love his studio layout and the mess; it obviously works magic for Nara. Xxx

would love to work that way in such studios, living the dream, creatively speaking

Fascinating, thank you.

This is cool, thank you for explaining how Nara handles his very spontaneous process. I can't want for the next video!

Very interesting and well done video- thank you! Looking forward to see more of yours!

Great video! it would be cool to see inside Aya Takano’s process!😊

Very interesting, I love how you pointed out the conditions he created in his studio to facilitate that looser style of creating.

Love your videos so much. Thanks! I'd be curious to see a video on Mark Ryden, Keith Haring and Marc Chagall.

Nice discovery, I didn't know about this artist. Thank you for it!

Great video! Thank you. Nara is one of my favorites and this makes me love ❤him all the more!

Awesome video. My wife turned me on to Nara, he’s such a great example of artist doing the same thing over and over, how an artist can really explore through limitations. I didn’t watch all your videos yet, but would love to see studio videos of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Basquiat, Brice Marden, Keiichi Tanaami and Philip Guston, and Matisse.

I liked this video. I get to know about the process of this artist that I saw often but not really dwelve into their art. I cannot shake the feeling he is heavily inspired by Margaret Keane in a way...

This is the second video I’ve watched of yours(the first one being the video on James Jean) and I think these are wonderful glimpses into artist’s spaces/minds. Thanks for sharing! The care you put into these videos really shines through.

His style is a Japanese rehash of Keane’s Big Eyes art

Love this series and your thoughtful commentary - so well done. Might be interesting to explore artists with different subject matters / styles. For example figurative - what do the studios of Jenny Saville or Tracey Emin look like? Maybe some abstract artists like Mark Bradford or Rick Lowe? Etc.

Interesting choice of words describing Nara and his work expensive instead of valuable. Thanks for the introduction to this artist!

Great video, so carefully done! Thank you so much! How about a video on Matsuura Hiroyuki?🙂

Nice to have space ,all makes sense,thanks find mine soon😄😅😃😂😁😢

I would recommend the artist duo Cooper & Gorfer, they do really beautiful collage photos that have a very surrealistic and painterly style to them.

I've seen his images before but didn't realize they can be so large! Very interesting pieces & i wonder who/what that young child represents.

Good work. Thank you for your research and for sharing.

Thanks for such a really informative video!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been really enjoying your videos! I’m a final year BFA student and I’ve gotten so much inspiration for my own home studio. My favourite palette is a cheap bit of white Perspex it cleans off just like glass

Tyy. Loved this one!

Really enjoyed this, thank you! Nicely done, made me look forward to more videos from you. New subscriber!

you are doing really lovely work--- it would appear you found a niche and hopefully you see it through. Greatly appreciated storytelling.

Loving this channel! Have you thought about doing a series on authors/writers?

Thanks for sharing this video 🎉❤😊

Great, informative video. Keep them coming!

Amazing Video ❤🎉 and greatings from Cologne - It's a quite creative and inspiring city here in Germany.

Enjoyed it! I didn’t see a link for the video you referenced

Thanks for this video Alex, what an amazing Artist Nara is! Could you possibly look into the art and life of John Jude Palencar?

Extremely valuable work. Thank you. Liked and subd.

❗️ nice video

Je viens de découvrir que la reproduction que j’ai acheté au MOMA il y a quelques années est celle d’une œuvre de cet artiste. J’adore cette reproduction de Oh ! My god ! I miss you. 😊❤

Thank you for these videos. I’m wondering if you could do one on Ruth Asawa. I have studied her a little and have always been curious about her practice since she is a woman who had kids, which gives me hope:)

Thank you for the video Alex. I enjoyed it a lot. Can you make a video about Chinese artist Ding yi..

Thanks for this I really enjoyed your style of presentation. You asked for possible suggestions of artists to cover. perhaps you might like to take a look at Ian McKeever. Cheers!

Could you make a video of Yoshitaka Amano's studio? In my opinion it's one of the most interesting ones

But how can someone possibly become an artist like this, what’s their full trajectory? That would be interesting to found out

It's nice but I don't get the prices. Well the art market is shady

Nice video thanks. Would like to see Jonas Wood studio vid

Not impressed

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Can you make one about his ceramic output?

Do you understand this. ? Art Akademie is not an apprenticeship. His university like time in Germany , was at a THE " Kunstakademie Düsseldorf ". It was a hard time for him. Don't forget about that.

It is the same head, a cartoon painting.....society's insanity makes "useless" things expensive, ....life is cheap, art is precious....

i like the piece at 0:55 but sothebys is all about selling random art at prices high enough so that when rich people donate it they can save on taxes im not really sure if this old law is even helping the art world at all its whatever i guess.

I appreciate very much that you do not use AI

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try maseda

great video, please do Jonathan Meese.

Please do a video on Ran Ortner's studio

What? I drew a teddy bear with a knife behind its back. Can I score some millions too? 🥴

Why boast that it’s Japans most “expensive “ art. Art is not about money it’s about expression. 😫

That was

Review ANTHONY LISTER !!

This is a joke, right? 😂 Whenever I do a really crappy piece, I sign it Basquiat. (My own little private joke) Congrats to the artist for being able to scam the art community for millions, though. LMAO

You should check huthhayden

He's just like me, ( I don't need anything ), lives with koffie and bananas......................not selling my pieces though!

Need a BIJIJOO video

money laundering, and tax evasion, if you wondering why they cost so much

I came away from watching this feeling quite strongly that whenever the art market celebrates an artist who produces infantile art, it is an indictment of society. Much like Kusuma, the market is rewarding Nara for his being able to incessantly deliver repetition. His art is expensive, but it is not good. I would like to see him decently paint one adult woman, as I suspect he cannot. Nara needs to grow up and mature as a person.

Japanese, artists and writers, seem obsessed with girlish, adolescent subject matters. Thought Y Nara was a woman until very recently.. what is the reason?

The Margaret Keane of the future.

Big eyes kinda ripp off.

15 hours ago

human like repetitive work, we call it artist but its a simple coca drink; always same flavor. The unique artist has been Picaso; never repetitive

gross... makes u wanna quit art...if that's what people honor

I actually work hvac in nyc and we have a very high end client. She has one hanging in her bedroom.

Kurt Cobain? Nah

He silenced his knowledge and emotions on those tormented doll faces!!!!omg!wonder what he's got!

BANKSY.

Why are all the unhappy people on his paintings FEMALE?

somethings really wrong with japan, they call this art?

None of those 1st grade of elementary school drawing worth over 20$.

Could you just slow down a bit when you are speaking. Love your video, but it seems so rushed And breathless.

I just do not get it. Not one bit. Trapped in childhood/cartoon world. Pff.

Interesting video, unlike his art. Really repetitive low brow pieces. Sad that anyone would pay that much for it. western cultural decay and cynicism.

cute but nothing special.