A Guide to Yoshitomo Nara's Characters

The Girls (often known as the Big Headed or Big Eyed Girls) are some of Yoshitomo Nara's most recognisable characters, often depicted with round faces, wide eyes, and a childlike innocence. These characters are often featured in Nara's paintings, drawings, and sculptures, and are beloved for their charming and unique appearance. Nara's depictions of the Girls often feature bright colours and bold lines, giving the characters a lively and energetic presence. Despite their playful appearance, however, these characters also embody many emotions, including a sense of vulnerability and fragility or, at times, appearing menacing and strong.
Through his depictions of the Girls, Nara explores themes of childhood, innocence, and the power of imagination. These characters evoke a sense of whimsy, and convey a wide range of emotions despite their relatively simple appearance. While many are nameless, some of the Girls are recurrent:

Named in tribute to the iconic New York punk group the Ramones, Ramona serves as a recurrent figure in Nara's art, embodying the band's rebellious spirit. Nara has a well-documented affinity for punk music, and this musical influence often manifests itself, infusing his art with an undercurrent of nonconformity and resistance. The punk spirit serves as a kind of sonic backdrop to his visual work, adding layers of complexity to his seemingly innocent characters. This passion not only informs the themes he explores but also enriches the emotional texture of his pieces, creating a fascinating blend of innocence and rebellion. In Little Ramona, for example, a young girl is shown frowning while impatiently looking beyond the picture frame.

Cosmic Girl was part of a diptych, that shows her with her eyes open and closed. She is shown wearing a Peter Pan collared green dress, and she has red hair. In characteristically Nara style, she has oversized and expressive eyes, although she looks passively at the viewer.

Similarly to his Girls, The Boy is usually nameless and depicted in different scenarios and moods, but most often depicted with a serious expression and a sense of introspection. Nara's depictions of The Boy often feature his signature exaggerated features, such as oversized ears and a round head, giving the character a cartoonish appearance that is both playful and poignant.

The Boy's serious expression and introspective demeanour suggest a sense of contemplation and reflection, as if he is grappling with deep thoughts and emotions. Nara's use of bold colours and expressive brushstrokes adds to the intensity of his work, creating a sense of energy and urgency that is impossible to ignore. One of Nara's most famous works featuring The Boy is One Boy from 1999, which depicts the character with a devilish facial expression. The painting's vivid colours and dynamic composition suggest a sense of standoffishness, as if The Boy is daring the viewer to engage with it.

The Dog is one of Yoshitomo Nara's most iconic and beloved characters. This pint-sized pup is often depicted with an intense, almost fierce expression that belies its small size. With its bright red tongue and piercing stare, The Dog is a force to be reckoned with, and goes on many adventures.

The Dog is often depicted with exaggerated features, such as oversized ears and an elongated snout, giving it a cartoonish appearance. Its small size and expressive eyes suggest a childlike innocence that belies its fierce demeanour, creating a sense of complexity and depth that is typical of Nara's work.

The Dog notably featured on R.E.M.'s music video for their song I'll Take The Rain, where he goes on several adventures. Through this music video, The Dog has entered pop culture in a way that many of Nara's characters have not.

Nara sometimes does self-portraits, in which he has depicted himself as two of his characters: the Boy and the Dog.

Miss Forest is a beloved character in Nara's artistic universe, depicted as a serene and peaceful figure in a 26 ft tall sculpture. This character represents a sense of calm and serenity that is often absent in the fast-paced and chaotic world we live in.

Through his depiction of Miss Forest, Nara reminds us of the importance of finding moments of peace and serenity in our busy lives, and the power of nature to heal and restore our spirits. This character speaks to the timeless human desire for connection with the natural world, and the enduring power of nature to inspire and uplift us.

The Miss Forest sculpture is currently installed at LACMA after being gifted to the museum by an anonymous donor.

Recently, Nara held his first major European institutional exhibition in over a decade, titled All My Little Worlds, at the Albertina Modern in Vienna. Running from July to November, 2023, the exhibition featured over 400 works, including 390 drawings, 15 paintings, and several sculptures, showcasing the breadth of Nara's career. The show emphasised his iconic, wide-eyed characters and highlights his signature use of unconventional materials like cardboard and envelopes.