In 1988, Nara moved to Germany and studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. After residing in Cologne, he returned to Japan in 2000. Since the late 1990s, he has continued to exhibit extensively in venues of all scales across Europe, the United States, Japan, and Asia. In addition to creating striking paintings that seem to return the viewer’s gaze and drawings produced as part of an ongoing daily practice, he produces sculptural works in a wide range of materials—including wood, FRP, ceramic, and bronze—as well as installations that appear to imbue materials and spaces with a sense of life. He also presents photographic works that document encounters and experiences from everyday life and travels.

Nara’s work is represented in notable public collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the National Gallery, London, UK; among many more.