Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture Curated by Takashi Murakami Japan Society Gallery 333 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 The Exhibit closed July 24, 2005 Written by Keith C. Smith Photos Courtesy of the Japan Society

“Art is Explosion!” said the late Okamoto Taro (one of Japan's most famous post-war artists), perfectly explaining the theme behind the Japan Center’s newest exhibit, "Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture." Otaku (science fiction and anime) culture has steadily grown in the United State over the past twenty years, but few understand that its origin was the largest explosions to ever hit the earth, the atomic bombs dropped on Japan.

Zaku Head

Being an avid fan of anime (one might go so far as to call me an otaku), I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see an evolution of this art style. On July 17, 2005 I visited the exhibit and upon entering I was immediately greeted by an imposing robotic face the size of a car. With a hum, a sinister red eye lit up within the head and proceeded to scan the room. This life-size “Zaku Head” came from the anime “Mobile Suit Gundam,” which depicted a war fought with huge piloted robots. “Gundam” has an underlying political message about the futility of war. Surrounding it were several large headed figures of typically cutesy anime characters. The anime characters gave peace signs and welcomed visitors with open arms and friendly smiles, in strong contrast to the war machine represented by the “Zaku Head.” Obviously, curator Takashi Murikami was trying to make a few points about war and peace with this exhibit.

Some very familiar icons took on new meanings because they were exhibited in such a thought provoking context. Even Godzilla had new meaning when she was surrounded with murals which commemorated WWII.

Time Bokan

 

Many pieces, like this one by Murakami himself, are examples of the origins of anime paradigms such as the indestructible foe. This mushroom cloud marked the defeat of the villains in every episode of “Time Bokan.” However, despite their spectacular demise, the villains returned unscathed every episode. The interior of the skull’s eyes were made up of dozens of smiling flower faces that again created a contrast between the doom of war and the peace that follows.

Otaku art can be found in some unusual places, even in cheap and poorly made toys. This section of the exhibit displayed a large collection of give-away items that were made after the war to help bring foreign currency into Japan. They are considered to be some of the earliest expressions of anime style. Their large heads and small bodies were heavily influenced by American cartoons of the time like “Betty Boop.”

City Glow

"City Glow", a digital print on vinyl, represents the future of anime art. The artist, Chiho Aoshima, was able to experiment and adjust the scene several times on her computer before making the final print. Its look is even more futuristic than the technology that made it. The curves of the buildings and the surrounding flora confuse your senses so that you don’t know if you are looking at a rain forest or a metropolis.

Soak

“Soak” is a painting that made me want to stare back. The artist, Hideaki Kawashima, said that “to make a painting is similar to looking in a mirror in everyday life.” There were several paintings by Hideaki in the exhibit and each made wonder what face the artist saw in his mirror the day he painted it. The eyes are strangely seductive in each of Kawashima works. I found it hard to break my gaze away.

There was so much variety at this exhibit - color and wild imagination were in abundance. This exhibit beautifully promotes the otaku culture as a real and growing phenomenon. It is a culture full of one generation’s fantasies…and their predecessor’s nightmares.

The show was on display at the Japan Society, 333 East 47 St. For more information log onto: http://www.japansociety.org/