leading cultural representative of his generation. At 89
years old, the artist is still active and was undeterred even
by a bout of Covid-19 last year that slowed him down
just as he was preparing to open his exhibition of all-new
works at Tokyo’s Setagaya Art Museum.
Although nowadays the octogenarian tends to keep a
low profile, he maintains a perpetual presence in Japan’s
cultural world. Many institutions around the country hold
his works in their collections: in Kobe, for example, the
Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art, which
opened in 2012, focuses on the artist’s accomplishments
and legacy. Moreover, he has an online shop that sells
a wide range of merchandise featuring his art (badges,
stickers, books, tote bags, underwear, and even a Yokoo
curry). Among younger creative types with knowledge
of the history of Japanese modern art and pop culture,
his reputation—that of a clever innovator who, in his
heyday, upturned deeply entrenched norms in graphic
design and, later, in painting—endures. Over the years,
the establishment embraced the maverick: Yokoo has
received distinguished, cultural-merit awards from the
Japanese emperor as well as many other honors.
Still, Yokoo is something of an unwitting icon. He was
born in 1936 in the small city of Nishiwaki in the hills north
of Kobe, a large port and commercial hub in western
Japan. Known for its textile industry and agriculture,
Nishiwaki lies at the very center of the Japanese
archipelago and bills itself as the country’s “navel.”
As a child, Yokoo displayed an artistic aptitude,
copying the contents of picture books and submitting
his drawings to one of his favorite manga (comic
books) publisher. He was educated in public schools
and became interested in oil painting thanks to the
influence of a teacher who had studied at Musashino Art
University. Although Yokoo initially attempted to enter the
prestigious school on the outskirts of Tokyo himself, he
ultimately abandoned that effort. As his teenage years
came to a close, Yokoo, who had founded a friends-ofthe-
post-office club at his high school, set his sights
on working for Japan’s postal service. That plan did not
learn firsthand about the materials and technology of
commercial printing, which would later serve him well in
his work as a graphic designer.
