Bye Bye Kitty: Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art

The exhibition “Bye Bye Kitty: Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art,” hosted by the Japan Society, starts on a defiant note, steadfastly rejecting cultural mores and challenging tradition in a manner that could be construed simultaneously as both violent and passive. Reviewer Brian Fee, for NY Art Beat, describes the exhibition, in an admittedly vague manner, as a display of “systematic removal and genuine reemergence,” lamenting the inefficiency and impreciseness of the English language in aptly conveying the true nature of the pieces and intentions of the artists. I am inclined to agree with him, being unaware of the proper Japanese term to describe this exhibit, but confident in its existence.

Upon entering the building, a mood is set that perfectly complements and contrasts the displayed pieces. The Japanese modern-traditional vibe of the lobby follows the visitor, adding context to the show that might not be achieved in an alternate setting. Fighting against the current international call for all things kawaii, the Japanese term for “cute,” this collection of works from fifteen young artists, and concluded by a piece from Yoshitomo Nara, addresses several aspects of Japanese culture that have become contentious in contemporary society.

Beginning the exhibition are several eye-catching pieces not only opposing the kawaii culture, but also fighting against traditional views and stereotypes. Makoto Aida’s “Harakiri School Girls” welcomes the visitor with a brightly colored, holographic image of lithe teenage girls in stylized school uniforms. This piece, at first glance, would seem to negate the exhibit’s argument against cuteness, however upon further examination a sense of caricature is apparent. In the piece the girls practice ritual suicide from the ancient bushidô honor code, covered in Day-Glo^© innards and shimmering pink blood, focusing on Japan’s stereotyped culture of shame and the extreme measures exercised to counteract societal repercussions, while simultaneously satirizing the highly sexualized and perfection-driven world of the high school girl.

Comparably, another of Aida’s pieces, “Ash Color Mountains,” deals with another familiar sub-culture, that of the “salary man,” featuring looming mountains composed of grey-suited, male office workers, interspersed by various common office supplies. The way of life for the salary man is one of societal duty and the suppression of personal desires for the advancement of the group. Aida expresses his apparent distaste for this life in his featureless, monotone figures piled haphazardly and stretching back into the distance; baring the expendable nature of the position, the facelessness, the lack of individuality.

Displayed opposite Aida’s tradition-contending paintings are four modified photographs by artist Miwa Yanagi, exploring a more modern, contemporary vision of young girls’ dreams. The pieces – composites of interview, photograph and stage make-up – explore the individual desires of four real Japanese women. Interestingly, not one of the imagined futures includes the traditional female ideals of family and children. The women’s dreams range from a desire for fame to what might be interpreted as a fear, or possibly a secret hope, of solitude and anonymity in death. Continuing on, the more traditional art forms of ukiyo-e and yamato-e are employed in several paintings to further confront conventional ideals of Japanese culture. Artists Yamaguchi Akira and Hisashi Tenmyouya address militarism and religion, respectively, expressing distaste and a distrust through non-traditional subject matter and mockingly arranged figures.

Entering the fourth room the visitor encounters a particularly enchanting collection by Motohiko Odani, “Malformed Noh-Mask Series,” in which the artist breaks from the traditional, ethereal perfection of the Noh theatre mask by revealing the musculature and bones, showing the humanity underneath. This piece also serves to transition from the satirical, rebellious feel of the first half of the exhibit to a more hopeful one, inspired by nature and the cycle of life. It is here that the artists’ themes begin to feel celebratory, optimistic.

“AILA,” by Rinko Kawauchi, scrutinizes the cycle of life in a mesmerizing collection of close-up photographs, presenting a “flow of consciousness and imagery modulated through a fragile but self-aware sense of beauty,” as described by curator David Elliott. Kawauchi is consistently aware in her work of both the robustness and fragility of life, of beauty in mortality. Also sharing the space is a piece by Tomoko Shioyasu, “Breathing Wall, Blessing Wall,” which echoes Kawauchi’s idea of opposition within a single entity. A large sheet of paper, cut in traditional style, hangs with a single light projecting its shadow on the facing wall. The thousands of tiny holes convey the paper’s impermanence, while the projection allows for the visitor to physically interact with and walk through the piece, proving its stability.

It seems only fitting that the exhibit concluded with an untitled photograph, by well-known artist Yoshitomo Nara, of a grave flanked by two Hello Kitty statues in the style of Buddhist shishi lions. Although not considered amongst the ranks of “young, contemporary” artists, Nara’s continual undermining of kawaii culture, through his employment of those same images utilized in a subversive and mocking fashion, has challenged the Japanese dô, or “way,” for decades. “Bye Bye Kitty” is an exhibit that likewise challenges the stereotypes of Japanese culture that many gaikokujin – non-Japanese – might view as complete truths, and leaves the visitor hopeful for the future, but nostalgic for a culture and a history not their own.

“Bye Bye Kitty: Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art” is being held at the Japan Society, at 333 East 47^th Street, New York, New York, from March 18^th through June 12^th. For more information, check out their website at www.japansociety.org/upcoming, or call (212) 832-1155.

Review: “Bye Bye Kitty!!! Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art” by Brian Fee, reviewed in the NY Art Beat. Available online via the NY Art Beat blog at www.nyartbeat.com/nyablog/2011/03/bye-bye-kitty-between-heaven-and-hell-in-contemporary-japanese-art/