Contemporary Japanese Art.

(From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI))

Byline: Koyama Tomio

Works by Japanese artists have become increasingly popular around the world in recent years. I opened a gallery in 1996 and have exhibited and sold works by the artists Murakami Takashi and Nara Yoshitomo. Now their works are registered at every auction held by premier auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's. Sometimes their works even adorn the cover of those houses' publications, an honor which only renews their value. Murakami was invited by Louis Vuitton as an artist, and helped to boost sales by working with the designer Marc Jacobs to participate in the greatest collaboration in fashion history. In addition to appealing to art collectors and art museums worldwide, their works are of great interest in the worlds of fashion and film. Art merchandise based on their works also appeals to average consumers. Their arts are accessible to people of all genres and classes, making them a truly rare gift. Unlike prominent predecessors such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Murakami and Nara came from Japan, a scene far removed from the center of the art world in New York.

So how did they get to be this popular? Does their Japanese background play any part in their popularity? We can speculate about a variety of reasons for their fame.

1. Their works have the power to convey something directly to the viewer. Murakami masterfully and uninhibitedly depicts DOB, a character of his own creation, on the screen. He experiments with various representations, drawing in the viewer with his use of dynamism and detail. Nara, meanwhile, draws portraits based on his childhood memories and the circumstances he found himself in, imparting the viewer with abundant strong emotions amidst a backdrop of silence.

By using artistic methods that have begun to be forgotten in contemporary art, both artists appeal to people who have a broader perspective of what art is.

2. They have outstanding technique. Both Murakami and Nara studied at art universities in Japan. Japanese art education is extremely academic, and unlike Western art education whose mainstream is concept-oriented, it emphasizes basic techniques such as drawings. The fact that they both practiced these techniques is probably an important factor in their success, although it is not the primary explanation. This has also been disregarded in contemporary art thus far.