Japan

From Gutai to Superflat

Japan's postwar avant-garde laid the groundwork for one of the most distinctive contemporary art scenes in the world. The Gutai group, founded in 1954, pushed painting into performance and matter — Kazuo Shiraga painting with his feet, Shozo Shimamoto hurling bottles of pigment at canvas. In the late 1960s, Mono-ha artists such as Lee Ufan and Nobuo Sekine arranged raw materials — stone, steel, glass — into quiet, philosophical encounters. Both movements have been re-evaluated by major Western museums over the past two decades, and works from these periods now command serious prices at auction.

The generation that followed took a different route. Takashi Murakami's Superflat theory collapsed the boundary between high art and otaku culture, while Yoshitomo Nara's wide-eyed, faintly menacing children became some of the most recognisable images in contemporary art. Yayoi Kusama, active since the 1950s, remains the towering figure: her polka dots, pumpkins and Infinity Nets span painting, sculpture, installation and a substantial print oeuvre.

"Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos. Polka dots are a way to infinity."

Yayoi Kusama

How the market works

For collectors, Japanese contemporary art offers unusual depth. At the top end, Kusama, Murakami and Nara are blue-chip names with global auction records. Beneath them sits a strong middle market — artists who exhibit with Tokyo galleries in Roppongi, Ginza and Tennoz, and appear at Art Fair Tokyo or in Western fairs via galleries such as those that championed Superflat internationally. Prices for Japanese artists have historically lagged behind Western peers of comparable museum standing, which many collectors read as an opportunity.

Two practical notes. First, provenance matters: works that passed through recognised Japanese galleries or the artist's own studio system are far easier to resell. Second, currency plays a role — the yen's movements can meaningfully affect what a work costs when buying from Japan, so factor exchange rates and import duties into any cross-border purchase.

A culture built on the multiple

Japan has arguably the deepest printmaking tradition of any nation. Ukiyo-e woodblocks by Hokusai and Hiroshige were produced as popular editions in the Edo period, and that acceptance of the multiple as a legitimate artwork carries directly into the contemporary scene. Traditional mokuhanga (water-based woodblock) technique is still taught and practised, while contemporary stars publish editions across screenprint, lithography and offset.

Yayoi Kusama's screenprints — pumpkins, nets, dots — are the most traded Japanese editions on the market. Crucially, her printed work is documented in a published catalogue raisonné, so any print offered to you should be identifiable by its catalogue number, edition size and technique. Takashi Murakami's Kaikai Kiki studio produces large runs of offset prints, typically signed and numbered, at accessible price points; Yoshitomo Nara's editions are scarcer and correspondingly stronger in value.

Authenticity and condition

The popularity of Kusama, Murakami and Nara has made them among the most faked artists in the editions market. Protect yourself with a few habits. Verify the work against the relevant catalogue raisonné or the publisher's records — legitimate editions have a documented technique, sheet size and edition size, and any discrepancy is a red flag. Check for the correct signature, numbering and, where applicable, publisher or studio stamps. Buy from established galleries or auction houses that guarantee authenticity, and be deeply sceptical of prices that undercut the market by a wide margin.

Condition deserves equal attention. Many Japanese prints are produced on delicate papers, including washi, which is beautiful but sensitive to humidity, handling and light. Look out for foxing (brown spots caused by moisture), fading in fugitive colours, and ripples from poor framing. Frame behind UV-filtering glazing, use acid-free mounts, and keep works away from bathrooms, kitchens and direct sunlight. A well-kept print in fresh colour will always outperform a faded example of the same image when it comes time to sell.