Created in 2019 in acrylic and charcoal, In the Water continues Yoshitomo Nara’s themes of isolation, rebellion and spirituality. We see a young girl submerged up to her neck in water. At first she seems to be struggling, yet the longer our attention lingers on the peaceful, almost soothing, shades of the image the more at peace she seems to become. The contrast of black lines on white raise this duality of meaning – is this a depiction of desperation or deep rest?