Miss Spring, 2012/2021

Artspace is proud to present a new, exclusive limited edition by iconic Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, entitled Miss Spring.

Miss Spring (2012/2021) is available as an edition of 100 prints, produced in Tokyo under the direction of the artist. Each print comes accompanied by a hardback copy of the 2020 Phaidon monograph Yoshitomo Nara, a bespoke print portfolio, and a numbered certificate of authenticity with registered serial number and publisher’s stamp.

Nara’s recent works are recognized by a lively color palette and a distinctive genre of bust portraits that emerged in the early-2000s, exemplified in Miss Spring. In years since, the artist has developed a devoted following internationally, and images of children from this period are considered among his most important and sought-after compositions. Featuring an enticing ice-cream pink background and employing an array of painterly textures—spherical flecks suspended in the girl’s hair, square swathes of jewel tones on her sweater, and speckles of fleshy pinks and whites on her cheeks Miss Spring presents an independent, confident girl with emotional complexity and limitless promise.

Miss Spring is presented in partnership with the 2021 TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala and Auction, for which Yoshitomo Nara has been named this year’s artist honoree. Proceeds from the sale of the limited edition will benefit the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Photo credit: Daniel Terna

Yoshitomo Nara (b. 1959, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan) is among the most beloved artists of his generation. His widely recognizable portraits of menacing figures reflect the artist’s raw encounters with his inner self. Nara’s work takes inspiration from a wide range of sources, ranging from childhood memories, music, and literature, to studying and living in Germany and exploring his roots in Japan, Sakhalin, and Asia, as well as modern art from Europe and Japan.

In the early 2000s, Nara became associated with an avant-garde group of Japanese artists known as Superflat, which also included Takashi Murakami and Chiho Aoshima. These artists became known for their use of bright colors, patterns, and Japanese cartoon motifs to examine hyper-consumerism, industrialization, and globalization in contemporary culture.

Nara has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, including the current major retrospective exhibition Yoshitomo Nara at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA. His works have been included extensively in group exhibitions such as the Gwangju Bienniale (2018) and Future Pass: From Asia to the World, 54th Esposizione Internazionale d’Art, la Biennale di.

Venezia, Venice, Italy (2011), among many others. Leading art institutions that have acquired Nara’s work include the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the British Museum, London, and the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan. Yoshitomo Nara lives and works in Tokyo, and is represented by Blum & Poe and PACE.

Portrait: Yoshitomo Nara, 2020. Photo: Ryoichi Kawajiri

All our frames are manufactured in the USA, using eco-friendly and sustainably sourced engineered hardwood for durability and a uniform finish that is free of defects. Frames are available in Black or White Satin and Honey Pecan.

All prints are hinged to a conservation quality, acid-free and lignin-free Alpha Cellulose matboard, using an acid-free linen tape. The mat's surface paper is fade and bleed resistant and is attached to a conservation quality foam-core mounting board that will keep the work safe from deterioration over time. Artworks with a deckled or decorative edges will be floated on the matboard, with acrylic spacers to separate the art from the glazing. All mounting is fully reversible, without any potential damage to the art.

All of our frames come with picture quality .090 mm plexiglass, which blocks 66% of UV to prevent color fading from exposure to light, keeping your art protected for years to come. It is now considered the industry standard for artists, museums and galleries throughout the world.

For images up to 30" x 40"

• 1 1/4” wide, 3/4” deep, with a 2 1/2” wide mat.
• We generally leave 1/4” - 1/2” of paper showing around the image, to accommodate signatures and for visual appeal.

For sheet sizes larger than 30” x 40" please contact an Artspace advisor for a custom quote.

Our art editions ship in 7 to 10 business days from New York.

Our framed art editions ship in 11 to 14 business days from New York.

This work is eligible for return within 30 days of receipt of delivery.

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Contact an Artspace Advisor at advisor@artspace.com