Coloured pencil on paper

42×29.5 cm. 16 1/2×11 5/8 in.

Signed in Japanese and dated on the reverse

LITERATURE
2007, Yoshitomo Nara+Graf: Torre De Málaga, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Málaga, p. 36 and 57
2011, Yoshitomo Nara: The Complete Works 1984—2010, Volume 2: Works on Paper, Bijutsu Shuppan—Sha Co., Ltd., Tokyo, p. 260 and 390
EXHIBITED
21 Sep 2007 - 6 Jan 2008, Yoshitomo Nara+Graf: Torre De Málaga, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Málaga

PROVENANCE
Galeria Barcelona, Spain
Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

Note: Two labels of Tokyo Tomio Koyama Gallery and Spain Galeria Barcelona are affixed on the reverse
This work is registered on the website of The Yoshitomo Nara Foundation, registration No. YNF4466

Riding Dreams, Moving Forward in Rotation!
Yoshitomo Nara's Cup Kid Girl

In 1987, Yoshitomo Nara obtained his master's degree from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts in Nagoya. Following, Nara moved to Germany the year after to study at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, under the tutelage of German expressionist master A.R. Penck. This marked the beginning of his 12-year stay in Germany. During this time, Nara not only mastered Western techniques and ideas but also re-examined his own experiences through the lens of life in a foreign land. In time, he found his artistic path: Reflecting on the individual in Contemporary Art through simplified figures, free and bold brushstrokes, and a graffiti-like style, all while infusing his work with vivid life experiences and cultural depth. His creations blend childlike innocence with avant-garde freedom, presenting a unique and whimsical spiritual world. Today, Nara's art continues to captivate the globe, with major museums hosting solo exhibitions of his work. His pieces are held in over 60 public collections worldwide, including the British Museum in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Des Moines Art Center, making him a highly sought-after artist among international collectors.

The Iconic "Cup Kid" Series
The Distant Dream in Untitled

"I had a dream in which the head of a cup kid started sprouting like a soybean, and it kept growing in the night and was followed by another bean, and so on. I just translated this dream into the work."
——Yoshitomo Nara, My Superficiality Is Only a Game: A Conversation between Stephan Trescher and Yoshitomo Nara

The 2007 work Untitled, featured in this spring auction, takes the "Cup Kid" from this dream as its central motif, representing a milestone in Nara's artistic journey-the "child's sanctuary." This imagery can be traced back to his 1992 painting Untitled, which depicted a "child in a cardboard box." Inspired by the aforementioned dream, Nara developed the 1995 installation Cup Kids, a set of seven pieces. To date, he has created 12 works featuring the "Cup Kid" motif, including 4 sculptures and 8 works on paper. The irresistible charm and expressions of these children have made the series highly sought after by both public institutions and private collectors. For instance, the 1995 sculpture Cup Kid is held by the Long Museum in Shanghai, while the 2000 Untitled is part of the collection at MoMA in New York. Additionally, ukiyo-e-inspired prints from the Cup Kid series are housed in institutions such as the Bernard Buffet Museum in Shizuoka, the MACAN Museum in Jakarta, and the Peabody Essex Museum in the United States, underscoring the theme's significance and uniqueness.

Completed in 2007, Untitled is one of the eight works on paper in the Cup Kid series and the second largest in size. It was exhibited in Nara's solo show Yoshitomo Nara + graf: Torre De Málaga at the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, curated in collaboration with graf. What sets this piece apart is its depiction of the child actively reaching out from the cup-a rarity in the series, where most children are shown "submerged." The child's hands point forward, as if signaling a distant dream yet to be realized, making this work truly distinctive.

The Pure Form, The Rich Soul

In Untitled, Nara places the "Cup Kid Girl" at the centre of the composition, eliminating any unnecessary embellishments to create a simple, serene space for the child. The girl wears a blue long-sleeved shirt, a design inspired by Nara's iconic "Little Wanderer" Her bright orange short hair adds a touch of playful rebellion. Through bold, ukiyo-e-like outlines, geometric forms, and layered colours, Nara merges the gentle, earthy qualities of traditional Japanese art with the minimalist yet expressive style of contemporary art, crafting a unique girl who embodies the rich, delicate emotions of the artist's inner "cup world."

The Secret of Growth in a Cup

The teacup, an ordinary yet essential object in daily life, has long been a magical symbol in children's literature and media. From the Mad Hatter's whimsical tea party in Alice in Wonderland to Chip, the enchanted teacup in Beauty and the Beast, and even the spinning teacup rides at Disney parks, the teacup is a universal emblem of childhood joy. In Untitled, the curved brushstrokes on the sides of the cup suggest a spinning motion, while the saucer, resembling a UFO, seems to lift the cup into the air-carrying the girl toward her dreams. This imagery not only reflects the child's transition from a dreamlike "submersion" to an awakened state of consciousness but also mirrors Nara's own journey of self-discovery.

In 2007, when Untitled was created, Nara had just concluded his large-scale solo exhibition A to Z with the graf team. The success of this exhibition prompted him to reflect on life: "This collaborative experience allowed me to return to my solitary state and realise what truly matters-facing myself." The girl, alone in the cup, wandering between dreams and reality, evokes Nara's childhood memories of confiding in an apple tree in his small wooden house in Aomori. Yet, in her olive-green eyes and determined expression, we also see Nara's resolve at 19, when he moved to Tokyo to pursue art, and at 29, when he ventured to Germany alone: "My hand will probably reach somewhere. I don't know if that's true, but I keep going forward."

Self-Warmth in Solitude, Awakening in the Bustling World

Thus, Untitled marks the culmination of Nara's Cup Kid series. The teacup becomes a boundary, a space for self-companionship and dialogue, from which the child emerges, stepping out of the symbolic dream. Comfort and adventure coexist; solitude and warmth intertwine. It is a reminder to find warmth within oneself in the face of the unknown and to remain awake amidst the chaos of the world. This is the inner world of every individual in Nara's art, and it is the pure yet profound essence of the Cup Kid.

Price estimate:
HKD 1,600,000 - 2,200,000
USD 205,100 - 282,100