White Aomori Dog Bank, 2017

A smiling white puppy dog with a bright red nose and sleepy eyes is among Yoshitomo Nara’s most beloved characters, appearing in his outdoor sculptures, limited edition prints, and design objects across the world. In 2008, Nara released a children’s book, The Lonesome Puppy, to tell the story behind the adorable creature. In the tale, Nara’s puppy grew to be so large that he went unnoticed until an adventurous girl decided to climb one of his legs into the clouds and befriend him. Indeed, Nara’s puppy sculptures are often monumental in size, including his 27-foot-tall Aomori-Ken (2005) on permanent display the Aomori Museum of Art in Japan. From piggy banks to radio players, many of Nara’s dogs are also perfectly sized for the home.