Back in the spotlight after 15 years: Yoshitomo Nara’s The Crated Room, Iceland arrives in Hong Kong — what secrets does it hide?

Unseen in public for more than 15 years: Enter Yoshitomo Nara’s creative universe

Mention Yoshitomo Nara, and many people picture a child with a defiant gaze. Yet the standout of this exhibition is undoubtedly “The Crated Room, Iceland / Painting Room” (estimate: HK$ 45,000,000-65,000,000), which has been out of public view for more than 15 years and is appearing at auction for the first time. More than an installation, it feels like an intimate encounter with the artist’s inner world. Nara transformed a wooden crate used for shipping into an immersive space, hanging 97 one-of-a-kind works on paper inside and scattering everyday objects such as chairs and a CD player throughout. Step inside, and you are no longer simply viewing the paintings from a distance; you are truly entering the artist’s mental universe.

Also on view is the 1994 painting “Now.” At 180 cm tall, it is Nara’s first full-length portrait of his signature child figure set against a monochrome background. The rosy-cheeked child grips a sharp blade, seeming fragile yet full of strength, precisely capturing the loneliness and defiance of an armed “little hero” confronting a turbulent world.

Rothko’s profound color fields: Intense emotion beneath the calm

Those drawn to minimalist abstract forms will be drawn to the monumental painting at the center of the gallery. The leading work in this season’s auction, Mark Rothko’s 1964 “Untitled (Plum and Dark Brown)” (estimate: HK$ 78,000,000-128,000,000), stands more than 2 meters tall and creates an intense sense of enclosure. During this period, Rothko was turning toward darker, more concentrated color fields, seeking spiritual depth in highly restrained compositions. Before the painting, the seemingly calm plum and dark brown tones intertwine to evoke complex emotions that are hard to put into words, echoing the exhibition’s exploration of the human inner experience.

Reflecting the anxieties of the times: Tetsuya Ishida and Lee Bul on modern life

Art is often a mirror of its time. Japanese artist Tetsuya Ishida died young, leaving behind only a little over 200 works. Painted in 1996, the early representative work shown here, “The Man Who Could No Longer Fly,” depicts a short-haired office worker trapped on a rusted pirate-ship ride, his arms outstretched yet unable to move. Its visual language, bleak with a touch of dark humor, powerfully reflects the sense of helplessness modern people feel in the face of society and the future.

Korean artist Lee Bul’s “Heaven and Earth” centers on a cracked white-tiled bathtub and dark black ink, surrounded by miniature mountain peaks. This unsettling landscape turns historical memory and an exploration of freedom of expression into a powerful visual impact that merits close interpretation.

PSYCHO: Identity Alienation Shadow Duality

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Flagship Gallery (Landmark Chater, 8 Connaught Road Central)

From now through September 27, 2026 (free and open to the public)

This exhibition is a conversation turned inward. If you’d also like to briefly escape the noise, consider adding it to your weekend itinerary.

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