"TADANORI YOKOO - Clear Light May 1974", Japanese Contemporary Art Poster, Original Offset 1974, Ultra Rare, Size (c.69 x 103cm)
This is an original Japanese offset poster printed in 1974. 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.
As held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.
https://www.moma.org/collection/works/60332
This offset lithograph was issued as part of Tadanori Yokoo’s legendary Clear Light portfolio published by Tokyo Planning in 1974. Printed in a limited edition of only 5,000 copies – the example offered here is hand-numbered 2846/5000 on the verso – each plate is considered one of the most spiritually and visually arresting works from Yokoo’s early-1970s period. Extremely difficult to locate in any state, especially complete and unbacked, the series embodies the psychedelic-mystic visual language that has made Yokoo a cornerstone of Japanese graphic design.
Japan Poster Shop has acquired a substantial and unique collection of original Tadanori Yokoo posters from one of the most prolific collectors in Japan – an individual who dedicated decades to assembling pristine examples of Yokoo’s vibrant designs.
Image & Iconography
A blinding shaft of white light descends from a black void, terminating in a violet inverted triangle radiating concentric layers – a Tantric yantra symbol of cosmic energy. Below, Dante and Virgil (after Gustave Doré) stand arm-in-arm upon a molten crimson terrain, their silhouettes bathed in the beam. A dark, haloed ellipse hovers nearby, hinting at an eclipsed sun or cosmic portal. The entire scene is framed by Yokoo’s sumptuous red-and-gold brocade border and faux-Persian calligraphy panels, melding Islamic manuscript ornament with psychedelic colour and Christian allegory.
Printing & Technique
Produced via offset lithography to capture Yokoo’s trademark hyper-saturated palette and micro-line halftones, the surface reveals delicate parallel bands that shimmer under raking light. Metallic bronze inks in the floral border emulate brocade, creating a textile illusion within the print medium.
Historical Context
Clear Light emerged shortly after Yokoo’s immersion in transcendental meditation and travels across India and the Middle East. The series fuses Eastern mysticism, Persian miniatures, and Western religious imagery into a unified graphic language. Issued only once in 1974 as a boxed portfolio of thirteen plates, individual sheets – especially those clean and unmounted – are highly coveted.
Condition
• Clean, unmounted, unbacked sheet with strong colour fidelity.
• Corners sharp; no tears, holes, or tape stains.
• Only the faintest handling crease visible under angled light – exceptional for a 50-year-old print.
Please refer to the imagery (both front and back) as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
It is over 51 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
