Two colossal white ceramic figures of little girls, sculptures by Yoshitomo Nara, popped up on the Park Avenue Mall at the beginning of the month to herald a show of the artist's work at Asia Society. Yesterday afternoon, I spent about half an hour watching the interaction of New Yorkers and visitors with these White Ghost figures. Without irony, I'd like to report that their presence inspires the kind of reaction tourists have about being photographed at the Lincoln Memorial, in the nation's capital. Here's the evidence (photos by author).

This exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Art Production Fund and The Sculpture Committee of The Fund for Park Avenue, and coincides with Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's Fool, a major retrospective at the Asia Society from September 9, 2010, through January 2, 2011. From the press release: Since the Japanese pop movement in the 1990s, Yoshitomo Nara has received international acclaim for his distinct figurative style. His drawings, paintings and sculptures can be seen in permanent collections at MoMA, New York; CAC Malaga, Spain; and Queensland Art Gallery, Australia. Nara’s largest sculpture, a 27-foot high concrete dog, is permanently installed at the Aomori Art Museum in Japan. His mixture of vulnerability, rebellion and hopefulness within his artworks connects intimately with people worldwide.

092310