Yoshitomo Nara (b. 1959)

In the comic-book style speech bubble that fills the bottom of the envelope, the elf-eared female character standing on a small grassy orb shouts “Fuck You!” in English, and separately in Japanese exclaims: “Those who pursue nostalgia and sentimentalism F…You!” The subtle omission of the full curse word in Japanese underscores the fact that it is a child that is speaking. Two boys in army-gear stand in the background, one sternly saluting with hand raised while the other frolics with a sly smile, representing the militaristic culture in Japan that was present during World War II. Thus, the orange-haired girl’s harsh words can also be understood as a criticism of the nostalgia for pre-war Japan.