Nara's Park Avenue Armory studio. © Photo Mackie Healy

By Mackie Healy, Art Market Views Contributor

Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara’s retrospective has just opened at the Asia Society, and a pair of his spooky milky white statues overlook a fancy stretch of Park Avenue. But before this Nara invasion was mounted, I was invited to watch the man in action.

It didn’t turn out quite that way.

On the appointed August afternoon, I was given a yellow hardhat and guided through the Park Avenue Armory where workers were wielding power drills, part of a restoration of the soaring ceiling of the drill hall.

Nara, known to be reclusive, was MIA. The PR folks were apologetic.

The Neo-Pop meister had rigged a makeshift studio on site. Disorder reigned. Paper litter abounded. Pencil shavings and errant pieces of clothing tossed about indicated that Nara had indeed been hard at work–at least before I arrived.

The temporary workspace was visible through the glass where I was able to view his pencil drawings of youngsters pinned up on the walls.

An electric guitar sat on a refrigerator-sized wooden table. Nara is a rock music fiend and borrows titles from bands he favors including Nirvana, the Ramones and Sonic Youth.

Nara and designer Hideki Toyoshima (with the help of creative team, YNG) erected a three-room shanty-like structure using found materials titled Home. The sage green edifice was empty. Outside saw dust filled the air and half-empty paint cans were scattered on the floor. Nara’s piece seemed appropriate in the amid the noisy construction crew wielding drills and hammers across the way.

Asia Society curator Miwako Tezuka came to my rescue. She explained to me (and an Asia Society group) that while many of Nara’s works are viewed from overhead, Home permits viewers to walk inside. She explained that at Asia Society, Nara’s drawings would be displayed on the interior walls. The far wall would contain a flat screen monitor scrolling a collection of Nara’s drawings of Japanese children.

The exhibition includes more than 100 works from Nara’s career, many of which have never been exhibited in the United States.

During the show, the Asia Society will offer public programs. On Saturday, September 25, the Japanese all-female punk-pop band will rock out. Nara designed the cover for their 1998 hit album, Happy Hour. (Copies of the CD are available for purchase in the gift shop).

Yoshimoto Nara: Nobody’s Fool will be on view September 9 through January 2, 2011 at the Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street).