"TADANORI YOKOO - Yamato Takeru", Japanese Contemporary Art Poster, Original Offset 1989, Ultra Rare, Size (c.73 x 103cm)

Original Offset Print on Paper, B1 Size (c.73 × 103 cm)
As issued for the oratorio Yamato Takeru, 1989

This is an original 1989 offset print by legendary Japanese graphic designer Tadanori Yokoo, created for the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to promote the oratorio “Yamato Takeru.” Commissioned for the 30th anniversary of Pony Canyon (Pony Shiyakusu), the poster exemplifies Yokoo’s unmistakable maximalist visual language—layering traditional iconography with psychedelic typography, optical distortion, and futuristic allegory.

In the heart of the composition, a kabuki-style warrior—clad in flaming yellow robes—leaps from a volcanic dreamscape, sword drawn mid-battle, referencing the legendary Prince Yamato Takeru from Japanese mythology. Surrounding this central panel are kaleidoscopic rays in red, pink, yellow, and electric blue that radiate from a symbolic filament lightbulb, echoing both enlightenment and industrial energy—an unmistakable nod to the sponsor TEPCO.

Collaged throughout the frame are oversized type elements spelling “YAMATO” in fragmented, typographic rounds. Ukiyo-e figures, abstract nude forms, and graphic elements drawn from both Edo-period woodblocks and postmodern design swirl around the central theme, giving the piece a theatrical, borderless dynamism. Yokoo’s signature fusion of pop, history, and mysticism is at full throttle here.

Offset printed on smooth stock, the poster captures the technical precision and chromatic boldness Yokoo was known for in the late ’80s. The use of vibrant CMYK inks enhances the depth and surreal vibrance of the visual layers, offering a near-hallucinogenic viewing experience.

Issued for a single, large-scale orchestral performance at the National Theatre (Kokuritsu Gekijō) on April 28, 1989, this poster was printed in limited numbers and distributed primarily through concert channels. It remains one of Yokoo’s most vivid and complex compositions of the decade—melding Japan’s classical heritage with postmodern visual chaos.

Acquired directly from one of Japan’s most devoted collectors of Yokoo’s work, this print is preserved in near mint condition—unbacked, clean edges, vibrant coloration throughout. A rare and iconic addition to any serious archive of Japanese graphic art, theatrical ephemera, or Tadanori Yokoo’s radical design legacy.

Please refer to the imagery (both front and back) as this is the exact poster that is for sale. 

It is over 36 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.