ESOPExchange Students from Overseas Program

This course delves into the exploration of art, aesthetics, modernity, and postmodernity in Japan. Through an examination of the evolution of visual arts in Japan, we seek to answer fundamental questions surrounding these concepts. Our focus spans from the Meiji period to the present day, encompassing key artists, movements, and cultural expressions.
We will investigate how the introduction of modernity reshaped Japanese aesthetics, analyzing the interpretations and manifestations of this transformation. By studying paradigm shifts in the pre-war and post-war periods, we aim to understand the transition into the postmodern era and the influence of popular culture on both domestic and international scales.
Maintaining a thematic structure, the course will explore specific art movements and events that have contributed to the shaping of modernity and postmodernity in Japan. Emphasis will be placed on the broader cultural, linguistic, and geographic contexts in which these transformations occurred.
Moreover, we will critically evaluate scholarly perspectives on modernity and its transition or juxtaposition to the postmodern condition within the realm of Japanese visual arts. This analysis aims to challenge students to critique the notions of 'art,' 'modernity,' and 'contemporary culture.'
Throughout the course, students will develop tools for visual analysis and critical thinking, equipping them with the necessary skills to engage deeply with the subject matter.

General Objectives:

-Differentiate between modern and contemporary Japanese art:
Explore the transformations of visual arts in Japan from the Meiji period to the present day, focusing on the introduction and interpretation of modernity and postmodernity in Japanese aesthetics.

-Think critically about what culture and art entail:
Critically evaluate scholarly perspectives on modernity, postmodernity, and the transition between the two within the context of Japanese visual arts, challenging notions of 'art,' 'modernity,' and 'contemporary culture.'

-Identify key political and historical events that shaped art movements from the Meiji period to the present day:
Analyze paradigm shifts in Japanese art within specific historical and political contexts, discerning the relationship between politics and aesthetics in shaping artistic movements and expressions.

-Learn how to analyze visual form and think critically:
Develop skills for visual analysis and critical thinking through the examination of specific art movements, events, and cultural manifestations in Japan, enabling students to analyze visual form and engage deeply with the subject matter.

Specific Objectives:
-Recognize major art movements, events, and artists from Japan:
Identify key artists, movements, and cultural manifestations in Japanese art history, recognizing their significance in shaping modernity and postmodernity in Japanese aesthetics.

-Understand the exchanges and connections in the art world beyond the neatly defined borders and linguistic groups:
Explore the broader cultural, linguistic, and geographic contexts in which Japanese art movements and expressions developed, recognizing the interconnectedness of the art world and the influence of global exchanges on Japanese aesthetics.

-Discern the relation between politics and aesthetics:
Analyze the impact of political and historical events on Japanese art movements and expressions, discerning the complex relationship between politics and aesthetics in shaping artistic developments in Japan.

-Compare the processes of modern and contemporary art in Japan:
Compare and contrast the characteristics and processes of modern and contemporary art in Japan, examining the transition between different artistic periods and the influence of global trends and popular culture on Japanese art practices.

英語 / English

Class format:
Each session will be divided into two parts. The first part of the session is comprise by the lecture on the assigned topic/theme. The second part of the session is devoted to class discussion. *During the discussion, students will follow the lead of the student in charge of the assigned reading. After the initial discussion, the instructor will join to answer and pose questions to students. (*Contingent on the number of students enrolled in the course.)
Reading Responses:
All required readings should be follow by a response, no longer than one page. To be submitted prior to the next class (physical and electronic format). They are to help you prepare for class discussion by engaging you with the material that you have read for that class. Each assignment will be graded on the basis of completeness, quality of insight and reflection, degree to which one has engaged the material, posing questions and/or engaging with other material and/or class content. They should be approximately 500 words. Feedback of each response will be provided the session after its submission.


Required Readings:
All required readings for this course will become available on HOPPII as PDF file unless otherwise specified. It is the student’s responsibility to access and make a copy of the assigned texts. Please make sure to bring to class the required reading(s) for that day. I also reserve the right to introduce additional readings throughout the semester.

あり / Yes

なし / No

授業形態/methods of teaching：対面/face to face

※各回の授業形態は予定です。教員の指示に従ってください。

1.[オンライン/online]：Introduction

introducing the course material

2.[対面/face to face]：Aesthetics, Modernity and the Meiji

Readings:Excerpts from: Sato, Doshi, Modern Japanese Art and the Meiji State: The Politics of Beauty, Getty, 2011

3.[対面/face to face]：Aesthetics, Modernity and the Meiji State (2)

Readings: Excerpts from: Marra, Michele, Modern Japanese Aesthetics: a reader, University of Hawaii Press, 2001

4.[対面/face to face]：Yoga, Western Visuality in Japanese Arts

Readings: Excerpts from: Winther-Tamaki, Bert, Maximum Embodiment: Yoga, the Western Painting of Japan, 1912-1955, University of Hawaii Press, 2012.

5.[対面/face to face]：Japanese Cultural Identity in Modern Art

Readings: Excerpts from: Mostow, Joshua, Norman, Bryson, et al., Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.

6.[対面/face to face]：Japanese Cultural Identity in Modern Art (2)

Excerpts from: Mostow, Joshua, Norman, Bryson, et al., Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.

7.[対面/face to face]：The Wound of Modernity in Japan: Legacies of an Imperialist Past

Reading:Excerpts from: Ivy, Marilyn, Discourses of the Vanishing, University of Chicago Press, 1997.

8.[対面/face to face]：Postmodern Turn in Japanese Visual Arts: Art and Subculture

Murakami, Takashi, Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture, Yale University Press, 2005.

9.[対面/face to face]：Postmodern Turn in Japanese Visual Arts (2): Gender, Japan and the Posthuman

Reading: Haraway, Donna, A Cyborg Manifesto, Socialist Review, 1985.

Excerpts from: Lamarre, Thomas, The Anime Machine: a media theory of animation, University of Minnesota Press, 2009.

Optional: Chino Kaori, excerpts of “Gender in Japanese Art” (2003), in Mostow, Joshua, Norman, Bryson, et al., Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.

Movie:Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell, (1995).

10.[対面/face to face]：Identity and Art: Queer Art (Guest Lecturer)

Readings:Brandes, Kerstin, Morimura/Duchamp: ImageRecycling and Parody, Edinburg University Press, 2003.
TBA

11.[対面/face to face]：Postmodern Turn in Japanese Visual Arts (3): Kawaii and Gender Performativity

Readings:Kinsella, Sharon. "Cuties in Japan." In Women, Media and Consumption in Japan, edited by Lise Skov and Brian Moeran, 220-254. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 1995.

Excerpts from: Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990.

12.[対面/face to face]：Blurring the Realm Between Subculture and Fine Arts: Nara, Murakami, Aida

Readings: Excerpts from: Murakami, Takashi, Superflat, Last Gasp, 2003.
Excerpts from: Aida, Makoto, MONUMENT FOR NOTHING: Tensai De Gomen Nasai, SEIGENSHA Art Piblishing, Inc., 2012, (catalogue)
TBA

13.[対面/face to face]：Aesthetics and Politics in Contemporary Japanese Arts: Ranciere, State Violence & Chim/Pom

Readings: Rancière, Jacques. Aesthetics and Politics. Edited by Ronald R. Martinez. Translated by Gabriel Rockhill. London: Verso, 2007.

TBA

14.[対面/face to face]：Wrap up Session

final remarks and general feedback from students and instructor.

*Students are required to pre-read assigned material and come prepared to discuss the content at each lecture. Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each.
*Every week, students are required to submit a reading response.

Course materials will be provided both during the class and on HOPPII.

Bibliography:

*in order of appearance on the syllabus


Sato, Doshi, Modern Japanese Art and the Meiji State: The Politics of Beauty, Getty, 2011
Marra, Michele, Modern Japanese Aesthetics: a reader, University of Hawaii Press, 2001
Winther-Tamaki, Bert, Maximum Embodiment: Yoga, the Western Painting of Japan, 1912-1955, University of Hawaii Press, 2012.
Mostow, Joshua, Norman, Bryson, et al., Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.
Ivy, Marilyn, Discourses of the Vanishing, University of Chicago Press, 1997.
Murakami, Takashi, Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture, Yale University Press, 2005.
Haraway, Donna, A Cyborg Manifesto, Socialist Review, 1985.
Lamarre, Thomas, The Anime Machine: a media theory of animation, University of Minnesota Press, 2009.
Chino Kaori, excerpts of “Gender in Japanese Art” (2003), in Mostow, Joshua, Norman, Bryson, et al., Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, University of Hawaii Press, 2003.
Brandes, Kerstin, Morimura/Duchamp: ImageRecycling and Parody, Edinburg University Press, 2003.
Kinsella, Sharon. "Cuties in Japan." In Women, Media and Consumption in Japan, edited by Lise Skov and Brian Moeran, 220-254. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 1995.
Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990.
Murakami, Takashi, Superflat, Last Gasp, 2003.
Aida, Makoto, MONUMENT FOR NOTHING: Tensai De Gomen Nasai, SEIGENSHA Art Piblishing, Inc., 2012, (catalogue)
Rancière, Jacques. Aesthetics and Politics. Edited by Ronald R. Martinez. Translated by Gabriel Rockhill. London: Verso, 2007.

Grading Policy:

Reading responses: 40%
Midterm assignment: 10%
Final assignment: 30%
Attendance and participation: 20%

*Grading criteria are subject to change in accordance with the number of registered students.

*This is not an art and craft course, and does not provide lessons to develop practical skills for drawing, design, etc: therefore, individual creative skill is not subject to assessment.

All assignments must be submitted through the online platform and in physical format.

*HOPPII will be the main platform used to share class information, materials, reports, etc. Other platforms may also be used for convenience and according to need.

*The instructor has taught at various universities on arts and politics, philosophy, Japanese Art, Latin American Art and Art in the Global South. He has work at museums and as a freelance curator for a decade. He is currently the curator at an independent art space in the greater Tokyo area.