Giant Robot Story Time: Yoshitomo Nara

I’m certain that Giant Robot was the first to feature Yoshitomo Nara and his work on a magazine cover in America. 

I shot many of these photos in 2001 for issue 20. Captured on reversal film at his studio in Venice, most were never used in the magazine. 

At that time, Nara was on the rise to becoming one of the greatest artists in the world, as well as one of the nicest people—someone who could be described as a hero in contemporary art and popular culture. 

The work behind him has since become some of his most iconic pieces. In the studio, he was listening to classic punk rock, and I recall him mentioning how much he enjoyed the freedom found in Kurt Cobain’s music and spirit, which resonates in his own work.

Nara lived close to the Giant Robot office/garage near Sawtelle Blvd, and he even stopped by on occasion. We once indulged in too much sushi, and he drew his recurring girl character with a remote control in my sketchbook. Perhaps she is depicted as controlling Giant Robot; I think she did a decent job.

We even sold his merchandise, including plush toys, clocks, books, and shirts, at Giant Robot before and after we opened on Sawtelle. Nearly 25 years later, Nara—now with cool frosty white hair—continues to create beautiful work that we all admire.

He’s featured in the pages of the upcoming Giant Robot book: Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian American Pop Culture.