The Value reported the price at an Art Basel Hong Kong session held in late March. Marc Chagall's painting, Bouquet de Fleurs, previously held the record, fetching around 11 billion won (over 192 billion VND).

"Nothing about it" bears Nara's signature style and is a rare large-scale painting in his career. It depicts a girl with an oversized head, large eyes, and a blank expression. While his works from the 1990s often portrayed characters with a cute yet edgy, rebellious appearance, "Nothing about it" reveals a softer, more mature aspect. Tokyo Weekender described the painting as conveying "a sense of loneliness in the modern world".

The painting "Nothing about it", created in 2016, is acrylic on canvas. *The Value*

Yoshitomo Nara, 66, was born in Aomori province, Japan. From a young age, the renowned artist led a quiet life, enjoying looking at the sky, talking to cats and dogs, or confiding in trees. He often avoided others, frequently doodling and drawing in books. Nara graduated from Aichi University of Fine Arts and Music in Japan, then studied painting at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Germany. During his 12 years in Europe, his deepest impression was loneliness.

A significant turning point for Nara was the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The tragedy occurred near his hometown, affecting him psychologically and causing him to stop painting for several months. When he returned to his studio, his artistic style had changed. The sharp expressions previously seen in his girls' portraits shifted to more contemplative and serene ones.

The characters in Yoshitomo Nara's paintings reflect different stages of his life and memories. In an interview with Design Anthology magazine, he stated, "I long to be good in the eyes of others, but I am also always timid, not daring to live as myself. Therefore, I express that in my paintings."

The artist's series of big-headed girls with chubby faces, sometimes pouting, sometimes aloof, are highly sought after by collectors, with many paintings reaching millions of USD. Notably, Sotheby's Hong Kong auctioned "Knife Behind Back" (2000) for 24,9 million USD (598 billion VND) in October 2019, making him the most expensive Japanese artist at the time.

Phuong Linh (according to The Value, Tokyo Weekender)