Saiki, Maggie Kinser. "Yokoo Tadanori: Mother Nature's Son." Graphis no. 315. 66-68.

This brief article summarizes the life and works of postwar Japanese artist, Tadanori Yokoo, a player in the controversial and culture-shocking underground movement in Japanese culture after Hiroshima. The author discusses his philosophies of life and art, which involve revealing his inner self and the contrasts between ideals and reality. Drawing from inspirational artists, anti-societal Dada trends, hippie culture, and travel, Yokoo gained respect in the avant-garde art world, including the West, and made an impact on Japanese culture with his unique visual expressions. Yokoo's goals, obsessions of death and innocence and distastes for commerciality, technology, and the rational methods the West are central to the tone. The author, Saiku's, sources, credentials, and affiliation are not very ascertainable. However, the article creates a short psychological biography of Yokoo, and does so in an almost idealizing voice. Yokoo's theories as an artist are highlighted more so than his artworks in a journalistic work most likely for a magazine intended to glorify and provide background on this artist and his life for fans and followers of his work.

This article, thought short, was well written to explain in a captivating light the personal ideas of one artist during the postwar period. This psychological aspect of Yokoo's work is one example of a possible reaction to the war, and helps to shed light on the entire postwar Japanese mentality. The author presents a relatively subjective opinion, with few solid biographical facts. It is questionable as to whether the views pinned on Yokoo by the author are in line with the Yokoo's actual own views. For example, there seems to be a difference between Yokoo's belief in non-rational intuition and the author's desire to explain why exactly Yokoo is "Mother Nature's son." Overall, the article leaves a favorable and impressive impression of Yokoo.

-Jacqui Phillips