Year: 2022
Medium: ceramic
Dimensions: 44 x 28.7 x 28.7 cm (17 5/16 x 11 5/16 x 11 5/16 in.)
Acquired from Pace Gallery, 2023
In Nara’s works, occasionally adorable children come forward with strong messages. These messages are not only reflected through their facial expressions and gestures but are often written in the work as direct letters. “NO NUKES” which has been continuously created since his early works, is also one of the messages among them. Nara, born in 1959, attended an elementary school converted from a former Japanese army barracks and spent his childhood playing in places like the old ammunition depot that remains in town. Although he was born after the end of the Pacific War, the shadow of war should be still close by his side. Nara’s love of rock music which supported the anti-Vietnam War movement in the youth culture of the 1970s during his adolescence certainly had a great influence on his later works. This work is not a painting but a ceramic jar that Nara had painted on. At the top of the jar, there is a sentence written in German, “We are on the way to the new millennium” (Wir sind auf dem weg neues jahrtausend). A chubby child’s face is painted on the front and back to match the smooth, gray gourd-shaped form. The child’s eyes are wide open on the front, but downcast and peaceful on the back. On each side of the hair, a peace symbol, and the words “NO NUKES” can be seen respectively.
