Since I am bored and feel that if I don’t start now I will never update this blog I have decided to slowly post some of my preliminary research online! Although this isn’t going to be heavily in depth I have a bit of an artist spotlight if you will! One of my current favorite artists is the Superflat artist Aya Takano.
Aya Takano was born on December 22nd 1976 and attended Tama Art University in Tokyo. She is known for her ethereal, and unnatural forms that combine fantasy and science fiction. One of the most common themes of her work is the idea of flying, or floating in space. Her figures are not bound by the gravity that exists in our reality. She also tackles the Otaku Subculture through a feminist perspective. She takes on the issue of sexualizing young girls and places it at the heart of her work. In doing so her paintings are often filled with androgynous figures in a state of undress. They are often unaware of their sensuality and seem to be minding their own business. Her figures are notably distorted, and emphasize the idea of youth. They have large heads and eyes, thin and curveless bodies, long gangly limbs and a pinkish warmth at the joints. Takano says that these manipulations of the body not only go back to the idea of the otaku and sexualization of our youth, but also point to Japan’s desire to stay stuck in a state of immortal childhood.
The idea of an immortal childhood is one that personally interests me, and has often been tied to the super-cuteness and Superflat movement in Japan. Most Scholars believe that the cuteness factor can at least in part be attributed to the strict and unforgiving nature of Japanese society. I am not saying that Japan is a horrible place to be, by any means, but growing up in Japan seems to be a much harder experience than growing up in the states. In his book Japan: A System That Doesn’t Make People Happy he refers to the high suicide rate (over 30,000 per year) that placed Japan 6th in the counties with the highest suicide rate in 2009. (It is interesting to note here that South Korea has recently surpassed Japan’s suicide rate). He also references the fierce competitions in schools called “exam wars”, a high rate of agoraphobia, bullying, domestic violence, sexual harassment and social discrimination. He, along with contemporary artist Makoto Aida blame this social pressure on the Japanese Salary Man. The Japanese have a focus on the Confucian idea of blending in and conforming, and the Salary Man is the perfect example of this. Aida refers to the Salary Man as having “unquestioning conformism, lubricious sexlessness, and lack of individual spirit.” The idea that all Japanese adults must eventually become the Salary Man has sparked fear in the hearts of Japanese Youth and led them to seek eternal youth. And that is how we return to Aya Takano. Takano allows her figures to exist in a world where reason doesn’t exist. People float along their daily lives with no fear of aging. The Salary Man does not exist in Takano’s world, just as responsibility, suicide, exams or maturity are hidden from the viewer’s eyes.
Hello Korea! 