Infantile and Cuteness in Japanese Contemporary Art - Thesis Example

INFANTILE AND CUTENESS IN JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY ART Name: Course: Tutor: Date: ABSTRACT Infantile and cuteness in Japanese contemporary art provides a unique look at Japanese culture today. The rise of cuteness in Japanese culture emerged in the year 1970’s as new style of writing after which many teenage girls later on adopted as a writing skill. Since then many of the contemporary Japanese artists have produced unique art works portraying cuteness in Japanese contemporary art and culture. Japanese contemporary art scenes encompass abroad range of artists working in different media drawing from the traditional Japanese art called Nihonga as well as contemporary Japanese Otaku subculture. The exhibition brings in dialogue twelve catalogue entries from unique Japanese artists in contemporary art namely; Takashi Murakami, Mr., Ryoko Suzuki, Minako Nishiyama, Aya Takano, Mika Kato, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, Makoto Aida, Korehiko Hino and Yasumasa Morimura. Though, these artists present their work in different styles including the western style, they strive to a give reflection of cuteness in the contemporary Japanese art and culture. Together their works draw attention to the youth and cuteness in various aspects of Japanese culture, art and society. In addition, the artists work strive to give a picture of Japanese culture infantilization in relation to the rising Japanese economy since 1970’s after the Second World War. The essay will analyze how the artists present various themes related to the Japanese society, culture and art as well as how they have been achieved and portrayed. Furthermore, the essay will feature other Japanese artist’s work who through their work rejects the outworn narratives of cuteness and infantilism fashionable in Western presentations of Japanese contemporary art. Using the twelve catalogue entries, the essay analyzes how various artists use their work to reflect infantile and cuteness as far as Japanese contemporary art is concerned. In the current age characterized with how history is written and understood, the above artists work show how the contemporary art in Japan has over the year been influenced by the world contemporary art and clever use of the latest technology. INTRODUCTION Contemporary Japanese art has grown tremendously with many of the Japanese artists using both elements of traditional and modern Japanese culture to reflect complex societal changes as far as Japanese society is concerned. Since the year 1970 the rise of kawaii, which refers to adorableness, cuteness or lovability has emerged in Japanese culture as part of a new writing style1 .It all began when majority of Japanese teenage girls adopted to writing laterally using mechanical pencils which apparently produced very fine line compared to traditional Japanese writing which was different in terms of thickness as well as being vertical. These girls would also write in round big characters adding little pictures to their writings for instance smiley faces, letters of the Latin alphabet, hearts and stars .It however became quite hard to read such writings and thus it was banned in majority of schools. During the 1980s the new kawaii writing was picked up by comics and magazines where it was put onto advertising and packaging. It was later on that cute handwriting became associated with acting childish and using infantile slang words. This growing trend led to companies like Sanrio to come out with merchandise such as Hello Kitty which became an immediate success, continuing the growing obsession with cute. Still in the 1980s the rise of cute idols such as Seiko Matsuda was witnessed and women across Japan started emulating her and her cute fashion mannerisms and styles which paid more attention to the innocence and helplessness of young girls .No longer restricted to teenagers the spread and obsession of making things as cute as possible including common household items was welcomed by individuals of all ages. This trend was particularly embraced by many Japanese contemporary artists who incorporated infantile and cuteness in their work among them Takashi Murakami who is Japan’s best known contemporary artist Images depicted by the popular subculture of kawaii appear superflat, colorful and at times contextually rootless, extending to behavioral attributes of docility, childlikeness without the potential of detestation2 .However, cuteness can also be menacing and uncanny especially when doll likeness is stamped onto the gauzy surfaced canvas hinting that that is not innocence or playfulness as shown in the works of contemporary artists such as Ryoku Suzuki and Mika Kato. Cute fashion therefore considered some form of rebellion against cooperating with already existing social realities and values of Japan culture. It is from such historical foundations that modern day Japanese artists base most of their works in, whilst they incorporate infantile and cuteness or kawaii. With a background on Japanese culture of cuteness and infantilism, the essay discusses these aspects of Japanese culture using twelve contemporary art works divided into two categories. The first gallery group comprises of artists whose work draws on traditional Japanese art called Nihonga, contemporary Japanese culture animation called anime and the geek-culture which surrounds it known as Otaku among them the famous Japanese artists Takashi Murakami. The second grouping consists of those artists whose drawings, paintings, objects, videos and sculptures rejects the outworn narratives of cuteness and infantilism fashionable in Western presentations of Japanese contemporary art among them famous Japanese artist Makoto Aida. Using their work the artists in the first gallery reflects the cult of kawaii (cuteness) putting more emphasizes on young girls, identity and culture. On other hand the artists in the second category challenges the cult of Kawaii (cuteness) by presenting their work in a unique way beyond the usual bright colours and wide eyed cartoon characters. Through, their work the artists in this category offers darker and more disorienting works to the audience portraying contemporary Japanese art in a unique way. In conclusion the exhibition brings together Japanese contemporary artists who using the historical incidences and have adopted themes relating to them and putting them in form of kawaii art. Primarily the exhibition brings together contemporary Japanese artists who in the recent past use cuteness as reflection of the Japanese culture as well as use their art works to reflect societal issues affecting modern day Japanese women and Youth. CONCLUSION The thesis study presented a comparative study of twelve artists in Japanese contemporary art whose work illustrated complexity and sophistication that has greeted postmodern challenges to notions of essence and authenticity in world shaped by technology, unprecedented global flows of information, people, products and capital. Using their work the twelve artists provide a unique look to the current Japanese culture today. While some of the artists choose to work in a western style much of their work draws on traditional Japanese art called Nihonga, contemporary Japanese culture animation called anime and the geek-culture which surrounds it known as Otaku. As discussed earlier in catalogue entries Takashi Murakami’s work tends to give a clear picture and reflection of the contemporary Japanese art with his bright, stylized paintings and sculptures which clearly portrays cuteness in Japanese culture. Murakami’s art is considered a borrowing from animations and cartoons with the grotesque or sexual element almost made pleasant by utilization of a somewhat child friendly appearance. Putting into consideration the youth as well as cuteness as seen in many aspects of Japanese society, the artists portray the infantilization of Japanese culture in conjunction with the rise of the Japanese economy starting in the 1970’s immediately after the Second World War. After the Second World War, Japan’s economy began to grow rapidly with its citizens adapting to western style of life. As the economy of Japan expanded many Japanese changed their way of life as well as culture. During this period the Japanese culture veered towards the non-threatening and infantile style particularly seen in Japanese fashion where grown women can be seen sporting children’s styles, and in the cute, child-focused art of anime. With this phenomena, Otsuka saw it as the only way for the Japanese to protect themselves from the militaristic actions of its past as it once again grew to be a world power. In their appropriation of the Kawaii culture, the twelve contemporary artists in their work have used this connection to bring about various aspects of Japanese society with them including Japanese economic growth and its obsession with youth and innocence. Bridging the gap between the modern and traditional Japanese culture, artists such as Makoto Aida among others borrow the themes and subjects from popular culture including anime. With the continuous growth of Japanese economy, many of the Japanese contemporary artists today use the elements of both traditional and modern Japanese culture to reflect complex societal changes as far as Japanese society is concerned. In conclusion contemporary Japanese cute and infantile culture tends to idolize childhood and women sexuality all at once. Many contemporary Japanese artists have picked up this particular trend as part of being rebellious to a traditional Japanese society and as a way of trying to address issues in society affecting modern day Japanese women such as sexual orientations borrowed from the Western culture and the role of women in society. Japanese contemporary art in Japan over the years has been influenced by the world contemporary art among other aspects of Japanese culture among them Japanese traditions, the oppressive and urban environment as well as various traumatisms undergone by Japan for over 60 years. Read More