"TADANORI YOKOO - KIMONO - The Origin of Things", Japanese Contemporary Art Poster, Original Offset 1978, Ultra Rare, B1 Size (c.73 x 103cm)

This is an original Japanese offset poster printed in the 1978. This poster is ultra rare and is displayed in the world`s most prestigious galleries such as MoMA in New York City. It is very difficult / almost impossible to find in any condition.

Tadanori Yokoo – The Origin of Things Poster (1978)
ものの元年 | “From Inheritance to the Joy of Wearing”
Commissioned by Kyōhō (京朋), Kyoto Kimono Company
Size: B1 (approx. 73 x 103 cm)
Year: 1978
Printing: Offset
Signed in Plate: Tadanori Yokoo
Condition: Excellent / Near Mint

This is an original B1 offset-printed poster created in 1978 by celebrated Japanese graphic artist Tadanori Yokoo, commissioned by Kyōhō (京朋)—a prestigious Kyoto-based kimono company. The piece was part of a forward-thinking branding campaign titled ものの元年 (The Origin of Things), aimed at revitalizing kimono culture for a modern audience.

In this work, Yokoo fuses traditional Japanese aesthetics with his signature pop-surrealist, avant-garde style. The composition is a bold and intricate tapestry of forms:

• Vivid primary colors, geometric abstraction, stylized kanji, fans, eyes, arrows, and symbolic figures are layered in playful, almost Cubist fragmentation.

• Central to the composition is the text “1st YEAR”, signaling both a cultural renewal and personal beginning.

• Hidden throughout are motifs of time, transformation, and personal identity—classic Yokoo themes rendered through an electric visual vocabulary.

On the left margin, a poetic vertical inscription reads:
「うけつぐことから 着こなす喜びへ」
“From inheritance to the joy of wearing” — a powerful message tying cultural tradition to self-expression in a contemporary age.

Subtly signed Tadanori Yokoo in plate, this poster stands as a rare and visually striking artifact from the golden era of Japanese graphic design. It reflects a pivotal moment where fine art, commercial messaging, and cultural preservation intersected with visionary creativity.

Ideal for collectors of Japanese postwar design, fashion history, or Tadanori Yokoo’s commercial works, this is a standout piece that bridges modernity and heritage in one unforgettable image.

Japan Poster Shop has acquired a substantial and unique collection of original Tadanori Yokoo posters from one of the most prolific collectors in Japan. This individual has a very colorful life story, having invested and dedicated many decades to his love for Tadanori Yokoo`s vibrant designs.

One of Japan's most famous graphic designers - the legend Tadanori Yokoo.

He is a celebrated graphic designer whose iconic posters and album covers for artists like The Beatles, Miles Davis, and Carlos Santana left a lasting impact on global pop culture. His psychedelic designs blended traditional Japanese elements with influences from Pop art, Surrealism, and American graphic design, foreshadowing the poster styles of 1960s San Francisco. Yokoo’s work was featured alongside artists such as Frank Stella and Andy Warhol in the 1968 MoMA exhibition "Word and Image." Known for pushing visual boundaries, he provocatively incorporated symbols of Japanese imperialism — such as the rising sun, Mount Fuji, and bullet trains — often juxtaposing them with crude or controversial imagery. His graphic style was rooted in Japanese ukiyo-e printmaking and collage, and a transformative journey to India deepened his fascination with mysticism, inspiring his use of Buddhist symbolism in his art.

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

It is over 47 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.