Tadanori Yokoo;Total Graph-ty 1988

Tadanori Yokoo made this print, Total Graph-ty, at some point – the date’s unclear. But the layering of imagery, that feels so digital now, feels like a real-time process of art-making. Yokoo uses these intense pinks and reds that feel really punk, but also pretty Pop. The image itself is dense. The layers are screen-printed, like a poster, so the color is flat, but the combination of images creates a depth. I’m drawn to the red square that hovers near the top; it’s like a little sun or a danger sign, holding everything in place. Then there's that dark blue splodge over to the left - there's something so intuitive about the placement of the blue and red. Yokoo’s work shares a sensibility with Warhol. Both artists embrace the visual language of mass media and popular culture. But Yokoo brings in something more graphic and surreal. He's a reminder that art isn't about answers, it's about keeping the conversation going.