Art and Engagement in Early Postwar Japan

Justin Jesty

Description

Justin Jesty's Art and Engagement in Early Postwar Japan reframes the history of art and its politics in Japan post-1945. This fascinating cultural history addresses our broad understanding of the immediate postwar era moving toward the Cold War and subsequent consolidations of political and cultural life. At the same time, Jesty delves into an examination of the relationship between art and politics that approaches art as a mode of intervention, but he moves beyond the idea that the artwork or artist unilaterally authors political significance to trace how creations and expressive acts may (or may not) actually engage the terms of shared meaning and value.Art and Engagement in Early Postwar Japan centers on a group of social realists on the radical left who hoped to wed their art with anti-capitalist and anti-war activism, a liberal art education movement whose focus on the child inspired innovation in documentary film, and a regional avant-garde group split between ambition and local loyalty. In each case, Jesty examines writings and artworks, together with the social movements they were a part of, to demonstrate how art-or more broadly, creative expression-became a medium for collectivity and social engagement. He reveals a shared if varied aspiration to create a culture founded in amateur-professional interaction, expanded access to the tools of public authorship, and dispersed and participatory cultural forms that intersected easily with progressive movements. Highlighting the transformational nature of the early postwar, Jesty deftly contrasts it with the relative stasis, consolidation, and homogenization of the 1960s.

Sujets

• History of art
• History of Asia
• History of film
• Japan

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 15 septembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781501715068
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 135 Mo

Extrait

ARTANDENGAGEMENTIN EARLY POSTWAR JAPAN

ARTAND ENGAGEMENT IN EARLY POSTWAR JAPAN

J u s t i n J e s t y

CORNELLUNIVERSITYPRESS Ithaca and London

Cornell University Press gratefully acknowledges grants from the University of Washington, which aided in the publication of this book. Publication has also been aided by a grant from the Millard Meiss Publication Fund of the College Art Association.

Copyright © 2018 by Cornell University

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. Visit our website at cornellpress.cornell.edu.

First published 2018 by Cornell University Press

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Jesty, Justin, 1974– author. Title: Art and engagement in early postwar Japan / Justin Jesty. Description: Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018015397 (print) | LCCN 2018016468 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501715051 (epub/mobi) | ISBN 9781501715068 (pdf ) | ISBN 9781501715044 | ISBN 9781501715044 (cloth ; alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Art—Political aspects—Japan— History—20th century. | Art and social action—Japan—History—20th century. | Art, Japanese—20th century. Classification: LCC N72.P6 (ebook) | LCC N72.P6 J47 2018 (print) | DDC 701/.03—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018015397

Cover photograph: Yamashita Kikuji,hciokj¯¯oinumokSh (Colonial Factory), 1951. Oil on canvas. 72.5 cm×116.5 cm. Courtesy of Gallery Nippon / National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. MOMAT/DNPartcom.

Thisbookisdedicatedtomyfamily. And in memory of Michiba Chikanobu and Katsuragawa Hiroshi.

 Co nt e nt s

Acknowledgmentsix

Introduction Pa rt O N E rt s : A E n g a g e m e nt o f a n d t h e D e m o c r at i c C u lt u r e o f t h e E a r ly Po s t w a r 1. Participatory Culture and Democratic Culture 2. Art and Engagement

Pa rt T WO : A v a nt G a r d e D o c u m e nta r y : R e p o rta g e A rt o f t h e 1 9 5 0 S 3. The Tales ofAkebono VillageThe Tale of 4. The Social Work of Documentary and Reportage Art as Movement 5. Avant-Garde Realism 6. Katsuragawa Hiroshi, Ikeda Tatsuo, and Nakamura Hiroshi

PartThree:OpeningOpenDoors:S¯obi a n d H a n i S u s u m u 7. Touching Down at the Soˉbi Seminar

8. Sˉobi as Organization and Movement 9. Soˉbi’s Philosophy and Pedagogy 10. Hani Susumu and the Creativity of the Camera

1

21 33

55

63 88

99

129 135 147

165

viii CONTENTS

Pa r t F o u r : Ky u s h u  h a Ta rta r e : A nt i  A rt b e t w e e n R a w a n d H a u t e 11. The Grand Meeting of Heroes 12. Kyushu-ha: Between Three Worlds 13. Kyushu-ha’s Art 14. A Cruel Story of Anti-Art Epilogue: Hope in the Past and the Future

Notes269 Bibliography301 Index317

Color plates may be found at the end of

this ebook.

191 198 220 245 256

 A c k n o w l e d g m e nt s

Thisworkwouldneverhavebeenpossible without the help of many people. It is an artifact of a network of knowledge and a willingness to explore collaboratively that I want to think is not wholly divorced from the networks that are featured in it. My deepest gratitude goes to my teachers at the University of Chicago, Michael Raine, Norma Field, and Jim Ketelaar, for their generosity, support, curiosity, and high expecta- tions. As I have moved on, I have come to realize just how different this book would have been had it grown in other environments, and I continue to rely on their counsel and grace. Reiko Tomii’s rigorous care has improved my work from the earliest stages of conceptualization to the final draft. Her independence and devotion to the field and her generosity in working with me continue to be an inspiration. PeopleinJapanwhohavesharedtheirpassionandlearninghavebeen equally pivotal. Masaki Motoi’s patience, energy, and resourcefulness have made it possible to pursue questions that I would not have been able to oth- erwise; I have followed through on only a small subset of all the doors he has opened for me. Ikegami Yoshihiko’s positive presence and tireless encour- agement have demonstrated how genuine curiosity is one of the truest gifts one can give to others. Komori Yoˉichi, Iwasaki Minoru, and Morimura Osamu have provided both intellectual and institutional support. In relation to reportage and woodcut, I thank Ikegami Yoshihiko, Michiba Chikanobu, Toba Koˉji, Tomotsune Tsutomu, and Irie Kimiyasu; Masaki Motoi, Ozaki Masato, Ishizaki Takashi, Hara Maiko, Takei Toshifumi, and Tokunaga Keita; Takemoto Katsuko, Nagasaki Yumi, and Nagasaki Yuriko; and Shirato Hitoyasu, Monden Hideo, and Shinkai Takashi. Kaneko Kazuo and Yama- moto Atsuo gave me advice and encouragement about my research on Sˉobi. In relation to Kyushu-ha, KuroDalaiJee (Kuroda Raiji), Yamaguchi Yoˉzˉo, and Kawanami Chizuru have been tireless mentors; Sakaguchi Hiroshi has been an irreplaceable resource; and Gallery 58 and the Culture Section of the Nishinippon shinbunhave been great supporters.

ix