Yoshitomo Nara

Private Collection, New York

New York, Asia Society, Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's Fool, September 2010 - January 2011, p. 72, illustrated in color

Exh. Cat., Cleveland, Museum of Contemporary Art (and travelling), Yoshitomo Nara: Nothing Ever Happens, 2003, pp. 18-19, illustrated
Jennifer Dorazio, "Do This!" Philadelphia Inquirer, January 22, 2004

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling around the edges with some scattered evidence of rubbing. There is no evidence of restoration under Ultraviolet light inspection. Framed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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Yoshimoto Nara's Pale Mountain Dog, painted in 2000, expresses the outlook of a disconnected subculture while fitting within the contexts of both pop culture and high art. Not the familiar Nara melancholy or 'lonesome' puppy, this figure presents to the viewer an image of defiance and rebellion. Undemanding yet approachable, the style of the artist, intentionally flat with thick lines and lack of texture is informed by manga and anime, influences of the artist's youth.  Furthermore, the punk ethos of Nara's oeuvre is distinctly reflected in the dog's spiked collar and, while more introspective and personalized than those of Takashi Murakami, offers a sexualized, almost fetish-like, element found in the flamboyant works of Murakami and other Superflat artists. The dog, isolated on the canvas, speaks to the isolation of innocence in contemporary society.  Reminiscent of an well-groomed poodle, an epitomizing symbol of domestication, there is a halo-like ring encircling the dog's shoulders, seeming to restrict movement. The cloud-like band and its impermanence juxtaposed with its restrictive role and the spiked collar above it suggest a pending retaliation of the restricted. Blatantly addressing the viewer, the dog's serious scowl and piercing eyes full of angst more than suggest a challenge to authority. The obedient and submissive qualities seen in Nara's figures of children, namely his renderings of little girls, is echoed here in the figure of a tamed animal, but the sparse yet powerful details such as the collar and the dog's gaze and scowl offer a promise of rebellion against the proverbial hand that feeds.