"Untitled" was completed in 1987, the same year the artist finished his studies in Japan, graduating from the master's program at Aichi Prefectural University of Arts and Music before traveling to Europe, the following year, Nara moved to Germany to attend the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, a prestigious institution known for its liberal academic environment and for

nurturing numerous contemporary art masters."Art is not there simply to be understood. ⋯ It ismore the sense of an indication or suggestion." –

Joseph Beuys

Looking back at Yoshitomo Nara's works from the1980s, the qualities that viewers are familiar with—his unique textural surfaces, layered color palettes,meticulous brushwork, and the repeated expressionof specific objects and themes—were already evidentduring this time. It is not hard to see how the richhistorical and cultural resources from abroad were

a profound and valuable influence on this youngJapanese artist. He traveled to Europe in 1980, 1983,and 1987, becoming enamored with the aestheticsof the Italian Renaissance and Christian art, which intuitively influenced his work during this period.

Symbolic elements such as falling, crosses, angels, halos of saints, and houses create a strong narrative tone that guides viewers to ponder the stories the artist reflects upon. It also helps them understand how Yoshitomo Nara integrates the characteristics of Asian artists while internalizing the influences of Western classical art.

"Untitled" reveals Yoshitomo Nara's vibrant youthful spirit, reflecting his desire to embrace a broader and freer creative nvironment. It inspires viewers to let go of the past and welcome a fresh future. From1988 to 1995, during his time in Germany, Naraheld solo exhibitions in Japan in collaboration withGalerie Humanité in Nagoya and Tokyo. "Untitled"also originated from this gallery and is included inthe artist's catalog, "Yoshitomo Nara: The CompleteWorks I," under the number P-1987-001.

Completed in 1987, this piece is a square painting measuring 1.3 meters, created using oil paint, colored pencils, graphite, and canvas. The panoramic scene features a light blue sky and dark green land, divided into two large background sections. In the left corner, a substantial amount of notebook paper with German language practice notes is affixed, creating an orderly,

step-like distribution from top to bottom. The use of non-traditional materials indirectly echoes Nara's belief that there is no distinction between art and life, while the foreign language writing can be intuitively viewed as an expression of abstract

lines. Occupying the right side of the painting is the central figure: a young boy with his head wrapped in bandages, smoke curling from his fingertips. He steps out of a black circle, discarding a severed head that bears the same face.

Dressed in a Japanese unifrom known as "Gakuran,"

the figure symbolizes the "past," much like the

reference to Japanese fighter planes during Nara's

exploration of style between 1986 and 1987. The

boy's side profile features "white wings," representing

hopes for "freedom and new beginnings." The "red

flames" appear three times in the painting: in the

black house, the central campfire, and the house

above the figure's head, all conveying a positive

message of rebirth through fire.