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Find your soul


Our five-star exhibition by the iconic Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara is in full swing! Due to popularity, we've extended our opening hours – don't miss your chance to experience it.

Plus, take our quiz below to find out which of Nara's playful, powerful figures you connect with most.



An inside look

A picture of Yoshitomo Nara with a play button overlaid on it

Yoshitomo Nara studio spotlight

Yoshitomo Nara takes us on a video tour of his studio in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture during which he talks about his solo approach, his love of music and a tendency to think of himself in miniature.

Watch now

We've extended our hours!

Extended Hayward Gallery opening hours apply on certain Thursdays and Fridays throughout the Yoshitomo Nara exhibition run. See time slots for details.

Book now

Which Nara artwork are you?


A person seen from the back as they look at a Nara artwork

1. How do you express your emotions?

a. I let them out – loud, fast and honest. No filter.

b. I reflect quietly or write/draw about them. Processing takes time.

c. I turn them into a strange joke or unexpected project.

d. I feel them deeply and sometimes cry, even over small things.


Two people in a large exhibition space looking at a collection of records displayed on one wall

2. It's a rainy day, what’s your vibe?

a. Stormy skies match my fire – I use the energy to take action.

b. Perfect for daydreaming, reading or thinking about life.

c. Time to jump in puddles or make a weird art video.

d. The rain makes me feel everything – nostalgia, beauty and sadness.



Sculpture installation of a small house with an artwork of a small figure next to the word home on the side in a large room with other artwork on the walls

3. How do you recharge when you're drained?

a. By venting, moving or doing something bold – I need release.

b. Alone time. I turn inward and let my mind wander.

c. Being silly with no expectations.

d. A heartfelt conversation or crying to a sad song helps me reset.



Two people in an exhibiton space with blue painted walls and two artworks of figures hanging on the wall

4. How do friends describe you?

a. Brave, loud and always ready to stand up for them.

b. Quiet, mysterious and deep – like there's more than meets the eye.

c. Wild, funny and creatively weird in the best way.

d. Gentle, heartfelt and someone who really feels with them.



The results are in...

Missing in action character

Mostly As:

You are the bold and fiery one.

You speak with fire and move with purpose, unafraid to challenge authority or defend what’s right. Like the bold figure in Missing in Action (1999), you radiate emotion and fierce conviction. Beneath your strength lies a loyal heart burning for justice and truth.

A picture of the Yoshitomo Nara artwork called Little Thinker

Mostly Bs:

You are the introspective creator.

You live in a rich inner world of stories and quiet revelations. Like Nara’s reflective figure in Little Thinker (2021), you find beauty in solitude and speak through art. You feel deeply, observe more than you share, and carry a depth few truly see.

A mischievous child sitting on a little duck: classic Nara!

Mostly Cs:

You are the playful, eccentric one.

You're unpredictable, a bit chaotic and entirely original. Like the mischievous figure in Harmless Kitty (1994), you bring charm and joyful rebellion wherever you go. You thrive in the offbeat and stay true to your wildly authentic self, whether people get it or not.

A little child with ginger hair and huge eyes

Mostly Ds:

You are the sensitive and emotional one.

You feel everything, sometimes more than you’d like to, but it’s part of your quiet superpower. Like the vulnerable figure in I’m Sorry (2007), you carry a deep softness and connect with openhearted honesty. While the world can feel overwhelming, your emotional honesty draws others in.


More art treats

Installation of artwork in a white room, includes an electronic traffic sign and a cat sitting on a step ladder with prints hung on the wall

Ghazaleh Avarzamani and Ali Ahadi: Freudian Typo

UNTIL SUN 31 AUG

Explore a multi-layered exhibition of new work in our free exhibition, collectively created by two Iranian-Canadian artists, featuring image-based works, sculpture, video and found objects.

Find out more

Public art

Wander your way through free photographs, murals and installations by artists including Denzil Forrester and Annie Frost Nicholson, as you explore what makes us all move as a community.

Click below to take a tour with behind-the-scenes insights.

An artwork featuring two men in red suits sitting amid a pattern of white wishbones on a red and black background. The men are posing thoughtfully, each with a hand on their face.

Gilbert & George: 21ST CENTURY PICTURES

TUE 7 OCT 2025 – SUN 11 JAN 2026

Discover the duo’s pictures from the past 25 years, with vibrant, large-scale images that centre the human experience and reflect their motto, ‘Art for All’.


Shop our collection

A flat lay of products featuring the Can't Stop Thinking about It artwork: a mug, magnet, tray, print, kitchen towel and notebook.

Can’t Stop Thinking About It

Yoshitomo Nara’s Can’t Stop Thinking About It (2011) blends a message of quiet disillusionment with a deceptively cute character, in Nara’s world-famous style. Our merchandise is disappearing fast: get yours before it’s gone.


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Conductor wearing a black suit white shirt and pink bow tie, with violinists playing around them

Gustavo Dudamel & Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra

THU 28 AUG

Marking its 50th year, the celebrated orchestra performs passionate Bernstein and Falla works for which it has become known, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.


From our friends


More than Human

DESIGN MUSEUM | UNTIL SUN 5 OCT

A ground-breaking exhibition exploring how humans can relearn to design with and for the natural world in the face of the climate emergency.

DEATH HOPE LIFE FEAR…

THE GILBERT & GEORGE CENTRE | UNTIL FEB 2026

A unique selection of pictures from Gilbert & George’s NEW DEMOCRATIC PICTURES and RUDIMENTARY PICTURES, spanning the years 1984 to 1998.

Header image credits:

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Missing in Action, 1999. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Miss Moonlight, 2020. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Other image credits:

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Miss Margaret, 2016. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Installation view of Yoshitomo Nara. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

Yoshitomo Nara, Missing in Action, 1999. Courtesy of Sally and Ralph Tawil © Yoshitomo Nara, courtesy Yoshitomo Nara Foundation

Yoshitomo Nara, Little Thinker, 2021. © Yoshitomo Nara, courtesy Yoshitomo Nara Foundation.

Yoshitomo Nara, Harmless Kitty, 1994. Courtesy The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. © Yoshitomo Nara, courtesy Yoshitomo Nara Foundation

Yoshitomo Nara, I'm Sorry, 2007. Courtesy Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul. © Yoshitomo Nara, courtesy Yoshitomo Nara Foundation

Gilbert & George HA-HA, 2022 © Gilbert & George. Courtesy the artists and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London.

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