YASUMASA MORIMURA
Background information: Born in Osaka in 1951, Yasumasa Morimura graduated from Kyoto City University of Art in 1978. Morimura has become one of the most renowned Japanese contemporary artists. He has also been travelling to different places and also graduated in Philadelphia College of arts 1982 and the Columbia University in 1985.
Artmaking practices: Morimura’s artworks constitute photographic works as well as performances, the roles he performs for the artistic representation of the human body and he uses media of many different types. He uses the idea of theatrical makeup, elaborate costumes, props and digital manipulation along with refashioning himself from the canon of painting. He is also known for modernising other artists such as Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe which is where some of his influences come from when it can to media references.
During the postmodern era which he worked in, Yasumasa Morimura was also influenced by a number of other factors that had occurred and were currently still occurring. Among these factors was Yasumasa’s Japanese decent and how that played out in a post WWII world. The feeling of being outsider in a westernized world coupled with his homosexuality which greatly influenced his work. The mixing of American and Japanese culture caused American icons to become celebrities that were idolized much like they are in our American culture today. Through his work Morimura interpreted famous art from a wide span of periods but kept the common theme through all of his work of Asians having a place in western society. A great example of this would be his version of Olympia in which he places different Japanese elements into the painting in place of the western theme.
Morimura also brings a highly sexual influence in art and modern culture through his Actress collection particularly his self-portrait as Marilyn Monroe, a sexually charged character already. Morimura photographed himself to not only look like Marilyn Monroe, an iconic sex-goddess from the '50s, but also to thoroughly express his creative intention to recreate an iconic image that would definitely stir up controversy and even intrigue his audience.
Artmaking practices: Morimura’s artworks constitute photographic works as well as performances, the roles he performs for the artistic representation of the human body and he uses media of many different types. He uses the idea of theatrical makeup, elaborate costumes, props and digital manipulation along with refashioning himself from the canon of painting. He is also known for modernising other artists such as Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe which is where some of his influences come from when it can to media references.
During the postmodern era which he worked in, Yasumasa Morimura was also influenced by a number of other factors that had occurred and were currently still occurring. Among these factors was Yasumasa’s Japanese decent and how that played out in a post WWII world. The feeling of being outsider in a westernized world coupled with his homosexuality which greatly influenced his work. The mixing of American and Japanese culture caused American icons to become celebrities that were idolized much like they are in our American culture today. Through his work Morimura interpreted famous art from a wide span of periods but kept the common theme through all of his work of Asians having a place in western society. A great example of this would be his version of Olympia in which he places different Japanese elements into the painting in place of the western theme.
Morimura also brings a highly sexual influence in art and modern culture through his Actress collection particularly his self-portrait as Marilyn Monroe, a sexually charged character already. Morimura photographed himself to not only look like Marilyn Monroe, an iconic sex-goddess from the '50s, but also to thoroughly express his creative intention to recreate an iconic image that would definitely stir up controversy and even intrigue his audience.