Photo: Hsinhuei Chiou / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on December 5, 1959 in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, Yoshitomo Nara is a painter, sculptor and photographer. Yoshitomo Nara is 66 years old as of 2026. Education on record includes Aomori Prefectural Hirosaki High School and Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music.
My Take
Yoshitomo Nara's girls stare back at you, and the first time I saw one I couldn't decide whether I was looking at something sweet or something menacing. The trick — if it is a trick — is that it isn't either. The figures are angry, and their anger is what makes them impossible to look away from. Cuteness is just the delivery mechanism. Born in Hirosaki, Aomori, in 1959, Nara studied at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music and now lives and works in Nasushiobara, Tochigi. Since 1984 he has staged close to forty solo exhibitions, and his work sits in collections including the Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Very few Japanese contemporary artists have travelled that far internationally on such an instantly recognizable visual signature. He also works as a sculptor, photographer, printmaker and musician, which reads less like restlessness than like one sensibility testing every material it can reach.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yoshitomo Nara
- Name (Japanese)
- 奈良美智
- Reading
- なら よしとも
- Born
- December 5, 1959 (age 66)
- Origin
- Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- painter / sculptor / photographer / musician / printmaker
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Boar
2. Background
- High school
- Aomori Prefectural Hirosaki High School
- University
- Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music
3. Works & records
Works summary
- Appearances
- 8 (2001–2024)
- By year
- 2001: 3, 2006: 2, 2014: 1, 2023: 1, 2024: 1
- Debut work
- 奈良美智 現代美術家
Filmography / notable works
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| 奈良美智 …少女が大人になるということ×小雪 | 2024 |
| Dear 忌野清志郎 | 2023 |
| ミュージック・ポートレイト「木村カエラ×奈良美智 第1夜 | 2014 |
| 奈良美智 美術作家 | 2006 |
| 特集「美術 | 2006 |
| 奈良美智 現代美術家 | 2001 |
| 現代アートの旗手 奈良美智特集 | 2001 |
| 奈良美智×村上隆 ニューポップ宣言 | 2001 |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.yoshitomonara.com
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/michinara3/
- Xhttps://x.com/michinara3
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshitomo%20Nara
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF%E7%BE%8E%E6%99%BA
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2015324
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Works and profile fields sourced from Wikipedia reflect content as of 2026-08-26. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Yoshitomo Nara born?
Yoshitomo Nara was born on December 5, 1959 and is 66 years old.
Where is Yoshitomo Nara from?
Yoshitomo Nara is from Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
What does Yoshitomo Nara do?
Yoshitomo Nara works as painter, sculptor, photographer, musician, printmaker.
Where did Yoshitomo Nara study?
Yoshitomo Nara attended Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music.
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