In the mesmerising works of Yoshitomo Nara, a Japanese artist born in 1959 who has since come to be renowned worldwide as an artworld phenomenon, the focal point often rests on portrayals of young children with disproportionately large heads. These depictions of ‘Nara Girls’ intriguingly deviate from the playful innocence one would initially associate with portrayals of childhood, as Nara instead layers his work with a sharp edge of skepticism.
Sad Dog showcases this distinct approach— the child confronts us viewers with downturned, almond-shaped eyes that are narrow in defiance, with a snarl that disrupts what might have been a smile, and a pronounced scar that tales of past woes. This juxtaposition of intimidation and sorrow, further set against the unexpected innocence of puppy ears, echoes the complex duality in Nara’s work. It evokes a sense of a young, defiant spirit confronting a shadowy world, a nod to Nara’s own isolated upbringing. The addition of charming puppy ears accentuates the character's youthful innocence, drawing a connection to another recurring symbol in Nara’s work - the droopy-eared dog. This motif is a hallmark of Nara's artistic expression, notably epitomised by his large sculpture at the Aomori Museum of Art in Japan.
The present work was made in 1998, during one of the most significant periods of Nara’s output. Following the recommendation of the American artist Paul McCarthy, Nara was invited to serve as a visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. During his tenure, he resided with Takashi Murakami, who had received the same invitation. In 1998, at request of Naoko Yamano from the Japanese female trio band, Shōnen Knife, Nara crafted drawings for their album, Happy Hour. He also held his first solo museum exhibition in the United States at the Institute of Visual Arts, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Meanwhile in Japan, the Preparatory Committee for the Aomori Museum of Art, set to open in 2006 in Nara's hometown of Aomori Prefecture, began to acquire his work to add to their collection.