Comments on: Japan Society’s Making a Home: Japanese Contemporary Artists in New York

By: superart

superart — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 21:11:40 +0000

I think the artist is portraying the Japanese society in which he had lived in. In the old days, men had all the power, and women acted on man’s commands. Today Japanese society is quite different from the one the artists try to show. Well, I am not an expert in Japanese culture. But according to what I have read and heard, young Japanese is transforming the society into a liberal one.

By: Ravendra

Ravendra — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:49:19 +0000

I really enjoyed your interpretation if the first piece and completely agree with it in fact. It was almost as if it was a complete reactionary measure to a lifelong repression. As for the piece with the photographs of the mother, I felt the duplications of expression emphasized the group mentality rather than individuality. I also feel Margaret’s interpretation of the dog is interesting. I feel the schizophrenia aspect is almost ironic since it many times induces creativity and expression, completely contradictory to the image he portrays.

By: Steven Chang

Steven Chang — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:50:05 +0000

Yeah that first picture was very bizarre but it did stand out.

By: KennyLi

KennyLi — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:49:39 +0000

Yea, the first part you mentioned was kinda creepy. I think the only reason why the dog was happy was because it didn’t know better. In most Asian cultures, women have always been suppressed. The corset and feet binding are just some of the terrible things women had to go through. I guess that is a good reason for them not to be happy.

By: Margaret Fu

Margaret Fu — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:16:41 +0000

I thought the artist’s mom was schizophrenic. Maybe that’s why the photographs were kind of gloomy? I actually viewed the dog as an example of Western culture’s influence on the Japanese. The first piece you mentioned left me somewhat disturbed. I didn’t really understand the message in that, assuming there is a picture of one. Something about being able to adapt to change, perhaps?