Yoshitomo Nara is a Japanese artist best known for his paintings of children and animals that appear simultaneously sweet and sinister, with large, expressive eyes that convey an emotional power. He is a contemporary of Takashi Murakami within Japan’s Neo-Pop movement, having been influenced by popular culture from both the East and West. Nara’s versatile practice explores themes of isolation, rebellion, and spirituality through drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and installations. Born on December 5, 1959 in Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan, he studied at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, where he earned both his BFA and MFA, and at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in the 1980s and early 1990s. He currently lives and works in Tokyo.