In Yokoo's art, the medium - that is, his ever ingenious means of presentation - is always more powerful than the message. While my regrettable inability to read (or speak) Japanese is a considerable drawback, I?ve decided it may have its advantages when I look at Yokoo's poster art. Let's just say, I?m not distracted by whatever written message about a product or an event the poster may contain. What my eyes register, when gazing at either a block of text or a random scattering of it over the poster's surface, are intricate forms and patterns that are integral to its overall design.
Although Yokoo came to the fore as a youthful artistic phenomenon in the 1960s, one of his greatest gifts has always been the ability to capture the spirit of the times. His choice of themes and the stylistic evolution of his work readily reveal this. He has wandered various realms, with enormous curiosity and audacity. He remains endlessly inventive and, at age sixty-five, is still an artistic prodigy whose imagery continues to enthrall us.
-Martin Friedman, Walker Art Center
