Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara ‘a control freak’ but he ‘gave me complete freedom’, says author of book on his career

When Yeewan Koon first met Yoshitomo Nara, they compared who had eaten the strangest food. Nara won, showing Koon some weird pictures of sea cucumbers

Koon says Nara can be quite goofy, but he has a serious side you get to know through his art, with its ‘strong sense of empathy and vulnerability’

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Actress Margarita, after Niko Pirosmani, 2018 (left), and Queen Tamar, after Niko Pirosmani, 2018, two works by Yoshitomo Nara from Yeewan Koon’s book about the Japanese artist. Photo: courtesy Yoshitomo Nara/Phaidon

Published: 12:45pm, 14 Jun 2020Updated: 5:48pm, 14 Jun 2020

Yeewan Koon is associate professor and chair of the Fine Arts Department at the University of Hong Kong. Her latest book, Yoshitomo Nara, is published by Phaidon this month.

Can you say a little about how you got to know Nara and came to work on this project?

The first time I met him was over dinner in 2015. He was in Hong Kong for a show at the Asia Society (a centre for Asian art, history and culture) and I’d been asked by the curator to write an article about his photography, which was little known. We decided to compare who had eaten the strangest food. He won – he showed me some weird pictures of sea cucumbers.

After that, when I was in Japan or New York, he would invite me to view art with him. We went to the Whitney Museum (in Manhattan, New York) and he recognised all art works. As an art historian, his knowledge of art really impressed me. He can be quite goofy, but also has a serious side. I got to know that serious side through his art.

His studio asked me if I’d write a book on him. I was surprised no one had written a substantial book that addressed his artistic development over the years. I didn’t say yes until I felt I’d got to know him well enough that I knew he trusted me.