Reading Lists

A thematic introduction to recommended readings, primarily focusing on postwar art in Japan, categorized under 10 themes to assist in the study of contemporary Japanese art. These approximately 100 works were selected through the Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan translation project, initiated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (FY 2018–2022). To ensure high-quality translations, a "Translation Style Guide" was also developed under the initiative. NCAR is continuing this translation project and remains committed to translating each of these texts into English.

Translation Project Style Guide (Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project)(PDF)Open in a new tab

Introductory readings

A list of introductory English readings for those studying contemporary Japanese art.

Introductory Readings on Contemporary Japanese Art (PDF 395KB)Open in a new tab

Available in English only/14 pages total
Last Updated: March 31, 2023
Compiled by Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project

Themes

Art Schools and Education

This theme focuses on “schools,” which include art colleges, art prep schools, alternative art schools, in addition to “education” relating to and through art that has been taking place in the aforementioned schools, museums, and society in a broad sense. Texts from a wide range of eras, from the Meiji era—which marks the beginning of full-scale art education in Japan—to after the 2010s when gender issues in the field of education rose as an important subject matter, have been selected for this category. By doing so, we will shed light on art “education” of modern and contemporary Japan, and the inner working of “schools” as the site of art education, and their historical shifts.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Kitagawa Tamiji. “Watashi no bijutsu kyōiku [My Art Pedagogy].” “Kyōiku bijutsu” 4, no. 3 (March 1938): 59–68.English translation
Morimoto Iwao. “Kyoto Geidai (Kyoto City University of Arts) no kyōtsū kiso kyōiku: Gaidansu jitsugi ni tsuite.” “Bi” 39 (December 1973): 15–17, Kyoto: Kyoto Shiritsu Geijutsu Daigaku (Kyoto City University of Arts) Bijutsu Kyōiku Kenkyūkai.
Takai Ichirō. “Shōwa 48-nendo Kyoto Geidai (Kyoto City University of Arts) kyōtsū gaidansu jitsugi kyōiku ni tsuite.” “Bi” 39 (December 1973): 18–22, Kyoto: Kyoto Shiritsu Geijutsu Daigaku (Kyoto City University of Arts) Bijutsu Kyōiku Kenkyūkai.
Enokura Kōji. “Hanshaban to shite no kūkan.” “Bijutsu techō” 29, no. 427 (December 1977): 98–99.
Usami Keiji. “Enshū zemi.” In “Gendai bijutsu no kiso: 70-nendai no gendai bijutsu gakushū dokyumento (Document),” edited by Kobayashi Akio. 117–120. Osaka: Asahi Shobō, 1980.
Furihata Chikako.“Wākushoppu: Nihon no bijutsukan ni okeru kyōiku fukyū katsudō [Workshops: Education and Public Programs in Japanese Art Museums].” “Fuji Xerox Art Bulletin” 3 (August 2008): 4–33.English translation
Tomiyama Taeko. “1940-nendai senjika no Tokyo.” In “Ajia (Asia) o idaku: Gaka jinsei. Kioku to yume,” 34–40. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 2009.
Murakami Takashi, Hoshina Toyomi, and Ebisawa Isao. “Nihon no bijutsu kyōiku, tettei tōron.” “Bijutsu techō” 61 (928) (October 2009): 66–75.
Okazaki Kenjirō. “Intavyū (Interview): Ware, mata Āto Sutyudiumu (Art Studium) ni.” Geijutsu kyōiku towa nanika?: Yotsuya Āto Sutyudiumu (Yotsuya Art Studium) heikō mondai kara kangaeru. Accessed January 18, 2024. https://as-artandeducation-archive.tumblr.com.
Araki Shin'ya. “Han sekkō dessan gensetsu [Discourses For/Against Cast Drawing].” In “Sekkō dessan no 100-nen [One Hundred Years of Cast Drawing].” Tsu: Mie University Press, 2016.English translation
Shimada Yoshiko. “Gendai Shichōsha Bigakkō no naritachi.” In “Bigakkō 1969–2019: Jiyū to jikken no akademeia [Bigakkō: Akademia of Freedom and Experimentation],” edited by Bigakkō. 149–153. Tokyo: Shōbunsha, 2019.

Artists’ writings

The subject of this theme is writings—essays, diary entries, criticism—by Japanese artists, regardless of the era in which they were active. The writings vary in content and style. As a prerequisite for selection, emphasis was placed on whether the writing reflects the core of the artist’s practice, or closely links to the production process and creative impetus.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Okamoto Tarō. “Jōmon doki ron [On Jōmon Pottery].” “Mizue” 558 (February 1952): 3–10.English translation
Yoshihara Jirō. “Chūshō kaiga no yohaku.” “Bokubi” 21 (February 1953): 12–15.
Adaniya Masayoshi. “Okinawa gadan no tembō to sono shōrai: Geijutsu senshō jushō o jiten to suru.” “Shin okinawa bungaku” 5 (Spring 1967): 136–149.
Takamatsu Jirō. “Sekai kakudai keikaku: Fuzaisei ni tsuite no shiron (gaisetsu) [World Expansion Plan: An Essay on Absence (An Overview)].” “Dezain hihyō” 3 (June 1967): 60–67.English translation
“[Excerpts from the Diaries of Akutagawa (Madokoro) Saori (1953–1965)].” “Geijutsu seikatsu.” 26, no. 9 (September 1973): 15–21.English translation
Ishiuchi Miyako. “Mugen no kuro e [Toward an Infinite Black].” In “Monokurōmu [Monochrome].” 5–11. Tokyo: Chikuma Shobō, 1993.English translation
Ohtake Shinrō. “Uwajima bijutsu nōto (note): Furimukeba benjo [Restroom Retrospect].” “Nami” 31, no. 11 (November 1997): 34–35.English translation
Murakami Takashi. “Geijutsu de kigyō suru to iu koto.” In “Geijutsu kigyōron.” 23–74. Tokyo: Gentōsha, 2006.
Takamine Tadasu. “Beibī Insadon (Baby Insa-dong).” In “Zainichi no koibito.” 7–18. Tokyo: Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2008.
Honma Eri (Kyun-Chome). “Koe kareru made: Sanka sakka no koe.” In “Aichi Toriennāre (Aichi Triennale) Sonogo.” Special issue, “Shinchō” 117, no. 2 (February 2020): 176–177.

Collectivism

From the pre-1945 Mavo up to the post-1945 Jikken Kōbō, Gutai Art Association, Hi-Red Center, The Play, Bikyōtō Revolution Committee, Dumb Type, and Chim↑Pom, collective art practice has played an important role in the history of modern and contemporary art in Japan. The texts selected for this theme focus on writings on their group activities such as manifestos and those printed in bulletins. The selection also includes criticism and research on collective activities.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Takiguchi Shūzō. “Kōbo dantai wa muyō ka [Are Open-Call Exhibitions Useless?: A Comparison with the Situation of Artists in Europe and North America],” “Yomiuri shinbun,” September 20, 1961, evening edition.English translation
“Haireddo Sentā (Hi-Red Center).” “Bijutsu techō” 23, no. 347 (October 1971): 70–71.English translation
“Kaisai ni atatte [On the Opening].” In “Kyoto Biennale 1973.” Kyoto: Kyoto-shi Bijutsukan (Kyoto City Museum of Art), 1973 (Venue: Kyoto City Museum of Art). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Hirano Shigemitsu. “ to wa nanika? [What is Art by Collective?].” In “Kyoto Biennale 1973.” Kyoto: Kyoto-shi Bijutsukan (Kyoto City Museum of Art), 1973 (Venue: Kyoto City Museum of Art). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Group of Five Photobook Editorial Committee, Equivalent Cinema, People We Know + People We Know + People We Know, Nirvāna Data Integration—The Final Art Institute, Japan Kobe Zero, and The Play. “Anatagata ni totte shūdan towa nanika? [What is collectivism for you? (Participant Data & Statements)].” In “Kyoto Biennale 1973.” Kyoto: Kyoto-shi Bijutsukan (Kyoto City Museum of Art), 1973 (Venue: Kyoto City Museum of Art). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Shirakawa Yoshio. “Enkan no kanata e [Beyond the Circle].” In “Nihon no Dada: 1920–1970.” Tokyo: Shoritsu Kaze no Bara, 1988.English translation
Yamaguchi Katsuhiro. “Jikken Kōbō [Experimental Workshop].” In “1953-nen raito appu: Atarashii sengo bijutsuzō ga mietekita (Shedding Light on Art in Japan 1953),” edited by 1953-nen Raito Apputen Jikkō Iinkai, [Tokyo]: Meguro-ku Bijutsukan (Meguro Museum of Art), 1996, 189–196. (Venue: Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Koyamada Tōru, “Damutaipu (Dumb Type): Jiko to tasha o meguru kōsatsu kara komyunikēshon no mirai o saguru [Dumb Type: Exploring Future Visions of Communication through Considerations of the Self and Other].” In “Jōhō no uchū to hen’yōsuru hyōgen,” edited by Kyoto Zōkei Geijutsu Daigaku (Kyoto University of the Arts). Jōhō Dezain Shirīzu [Information Design Series], vol. 6. 58–96. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 2000.English translation
Takahashi Fumiko. “Konton no naka kara: ‘Ekkyō suru onna tachi 21’ meikingu repōto [From within the Chaos: The Making of Women Breaking Boundaries 21].” “Aida” 62 (February 2001): 9–16.English translation
Suzuki Katsuo. “Shūdan no yume: 50-nendai o tsuranuku rekishiteki patosu [The Dream of the Collective: The Historical Pathos Running through the 1950s].” In “Jikkenjō 1950s [Test Sites 1950s],” edited by Suzuki Katsuo, Masuda Tomohiro, and Ōtani Shōgo, 10–39. Tokyo: The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, 2012.English translation
Umetsu Yōichi. “Pāpurūmu no jōken [The Conditions for Parplume].” “Rear: Geijutsu hihyōshi” 36 (January 2016): 138–142.English translation
Kira Tomoko. “Rekishi no naka no josei korekutibu to hitotohito [Hitotohito and Women’s Collectives throughout History].” In “Onna ga gonin atsumareba sara ga wareru: Kirokushū [If Five Women Get Together, A Plate Breaks],” edited by Takahashi Hikari and Kudō Haruka. 26–27. [s.l.]: Hitotohito, 2021 (Venue: Buoy). [Exh. cat.]. English translation

Critics

This theme provides an overview of the work by critics who have shaped the discourse of modern and contemporary Japanese art history. Focusing on the most important arguments and their development in addition to examining their influence on exhibitions and artists, the texts illuminate how the discourse on art has been constructed. In conjunction with the selection of essays on postwar Japanese art (From Postwar to Postmodern, Art in Japan, 1945–1989) translated and published by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the texts focus on the various aspects of Japanese modern and contemporary art history.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Nakahara Yūsuke. “‘Misemono’ no hihyō [For a Criticism of Misemono].” “Bungaku” 24, no. 12 (December 1956): 43–50. (Iwanami Shoten).English translation
Tōno Yoshiaki. “Sakuhin senkō ni biteki idē no kakuritsu o: ‘Atarashii Nihon kaigaten’ e no teishō [For a new aesthetic concept in the selection of artworks: Proposal for a ‘new Japanese painting’ exhibition].” “Bijutsu techō” 154 (March 1959): 17–19.English translation
Miyakawa Atsushi. “Kage no shinnyū.” Supplement, “Bijutsu techō” 261 (December 1965): 73–76.English translation
Hyūga Akiko. “Isei no moraru: Shōjo manga no miryoku [Morals from Another Planet: The Appeal of Shōjo Manga, Japanese Girls’ Comics].” “Dentō to gendai” 48 (September 1977): 30–39.English translation
Tatehata Akira. “Seisei suru taburō: Gutai Bijutsu Kyōkai no 1950-nendai [Paintings emerged: The Gutai Art Association in the 1950s].” In “Kaiga no arashi 1950-nendai: Anforumeru, Gutai Bijutsu, Kobura (Action et emotion. peintures des années 50: Informel, Gutaï, Cobra),” edited by Kokuritsu Kokusai Bijutsukan (The National Museum of Art, Osaka), 14–19. [Suita]: The National Museum of Art, Osaka, 1985 (Venue: The National Museum of Art, Osaka). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Kasahara Michiko. “Shashin to jendā: Ishiuchi Miyako to Kamikura Yoshiko no sakuhin ni furete [Photography and Gender: Encountering the Works of Ishiuchi Miyako and Kamikura Yoshiko].” In “Bijutsu to jendā: Hitaishō no shisen [Art & Gender: The Asymmetrical Regard],” edited by Suzuki Tokiko, Chino Kaori, and Mabuchi Akiko, 359–376. Tokyo: Buryukke (Brücke), 1997.English translation
Hasegawa Yūko. “Degenderism.” In “De-Genderism: détruire dit-elle/il.” Translated by Stan Anderson. 19–25. Tokyo: Setagaya Art Museum, 1997 [Supplement to the exhibition catalogue with the same title].English translation
Yoshida Yoshie. “‘Genbaku no zu’ o seotte [With the Hiroshima Panels on My Back].” In “Yoshida Yoshie zen shigoto (The corpus of Yoshida Yoshie’s critical essays on art),” 229–251. Tokyo: Geijutsu Shoin, 2005.English translation
Mitsuda Yuri. “Nojima Yasuzō: Shashin no sonzairon [An Ontological Reading of Nojima Yasuzō’s Photographs].” In “Nojima Yasuzō Shashinshū (Yasuzo Nojima).” 153–181. Tokyo: Akaakasha (Akaaka Art Publishing), 2009.English translation
Sawaragi Noi. “Gobijutsuron, dainibu rurōhen. Dai ikkai: Saikō ‘Warui basho’ zenpen.” “Bijutsu techō” 66, no. 1000 (March 2014): 174–192.
Okazaki Kenjirō. “Kikoenai senritsu o kiku”. Web Chikuma. Modified August 19, 2019. https://www.webchikuma.jp/articles/-/1808.

Learn more

To learn more about Critics, please refer to the following resource.

Further Readings on Critics (PDF 500KB) Open in a new tab

Available in Japanese only/16 pages total
Last Updated: March 31, 2023
Compiled by Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project

Exhibitions, Events, and Sites

The main subject matter is writings on important exhibitions held in Japan. Most discussions on postwar Japanese art history have centered around artworks and criticism, but the exhibitions that make them physically possible have not been discussed in length. By introducing texts from exhibition catalogues, related essays, exhibition reviews, statements from parties involved, and research papers that have been translated for the first time, this theme foregrounds how exhibitions have shaped the history of modern and contemporary Japanese art.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Tōno Yoshiaki. “Sayōnara Yomiuri andepandan ten [Sayonara, Yomiuri Independent].” “Bijutsu techō” 234 (April 1964): 11–14, 27.English translation
Nakahara Yusuke. “Tricks and Vision.” In “Tricks and Vision,” 91. [s.l.: s.n.,] 1968 (Venues: Tokyo Gallery and Muramatsu Gallery). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Yoshida Yoshie. “Matsuzawa Yutaka: Yami o tōtetsu suru kyōdōtai [A Community That Penetrates the Darkness].” “Bijutsu techō” 24, no. 360 (November 1972): 26–48.English translation
Yurugi Yasuhiro. “1950-nendai: Sono ankoku to kōbō.” In “1950-nendai: Sono ankoku to kōbō,” edited by Tokyo-to Bijutsukan (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum). Gendai bijutsu no dōkō 1, 76–77. Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 1981 (Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum). [Exh. cat.].
Saitō Yasuyoshi. “Gendai bijutsu no dōkō II: Hangeijutsuteki keikō o chūshin ni.” In “1960-nendai: Tayōka e no shuppatsu,” edited by Tokyo-to Bijutsukan (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum). Gendai bijutsu no dōkō 2, 11–15. Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 1983 (Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum) [Exh. cat.].
Yurugi Yasuhiro. “‘1970-nen ikō no bijutsu: Sono kokusaisei to dokujisei’ ten ni tsuite.” In “1970-nen ikō no bijutsu: Sono kokusaisei to dokujisei,” edited by Tokyo-to Bijutsukan (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum). Gendai bijutsu no dōkō 3, 9–11. Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 1984 (Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum). [Exh. cat.].
Tōno Yoshiaki. “Minami Garō [Minami Gallery].” In “Bunka no shikakenin: Gendai bunka no jiba to pāsupekuchibu [Instigators of Culture: Fields of Influence and Perspectives of Contemporary Culture].” 411–444. Tokyo: Seidosha, 1985.English translation
Koike Kazuko. “Sanagi habataku [Emerging from a Chrysalis, the Butterfly Spreads its Wings].” In “Kūkan no aura [Aura of Space].” 24–38. Tokyo: Hakusuisha, 1992.English translation
Masaki Motoi. “No o hiraku kagi [How to Unlock the Outdoors].” “Bijutsu techō” 44, no. 661 (November 1992): 89–97.English translation
Yaguchi Kunio. “Motomerareru kokusaisei to sōzōsei.” “Bijutsu techō” 47, no. 705 (April 1995): 110–119.
Kondo Yukio. “Singularity in Plurality: The Position of the Artist in Mass Society.” In “The 33rd ‘Artists Today’ Exhibition,” 9–11. Yokohama: Yokohama Civic Art Gallery, 1997 (Venue: Yokohama Civic Art Gallery). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Iwaya Kunio. “Takiguchi Shūzō no atarashii kisetsu: Takemiya Garō (Gallery) no shūmaku made.” In “Takiguchi Shūzō to Takemiya Garō (Shuzo Takiguchi and Gallery Takemiya),” edited by Satani Gallery. Omāju Takiguchi Shūzōten 26, 6–33. Tokyo: Satani Gallery, 2005 (Venue: Ochanomizu Gallery). [Exh. cat.].
Kokatsu Reiko. “Nihon no bijutsukan ni okeru jendā no shiten no dōnyū o megutte [Introduction of Gender Perspective in Japanese Museums].” “Image & gender: Imēji & Jendā Kenkyūkai kikanshi” 7 (March 2007): 14–25.English translation
“Bigakkōshi: Kaikō kara 2019-nen made [The History of Bigakkō from its Founding until 2019].” In “Bigakkō 1969–2019: Jiyū to jikken no akademeia [Bigakkō: Akademia of Freedom and Experimentation],” edited by Bigakkō, 54–76. Tokyo: Shobunsha, 2019.English translation

Feminism and/in Japanese art

Texts on Japanese modern and contemporary art written from the perspective of feminism and gender issues, in addition to statements written by and interviews with female artists, and criticism are at the focus of this theme. In bringing to light seminal works by female writers, critics, and curators, it challenges traditional Japanese art history and its values to further explore the potential of the discourse.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Migishi Setsuko. “Joryū gaka no rekishi [A History of Women Artists].” “BBBB” no. 4 (March 1950): 40–44.English translation
Kishimoto Sayako. “Shiryō: Kishimoto Sayako 1983-nen sangiin senkyo seiken hōsō (NHK Rajio Hōsō) [1983 House of Councillors Party Election Broadcast (NHK Radio Broadcast)].” In “Neodada kara 21-seikigata majo e: Kishimoto Sayako no hito to sakuhin [From Neo Dada to Twenty-first-century Witch: The Person and Work of Kishimoto Sayako],” edited by “Josei to Āto” Purojekuto, 59–60. Yokohama: “Josei to Āto ” Purojekuto, 1997.English translation
Tomiyama Taeko, Shimada Yoshiko, and Rebecca Jennison. “Shōgen to āto [Testimony and Art].” “Gendai shisō” 25, no. 10 (September 1997): 36–62.English translation
Mitsuda Yuri. “Heijitsu no hiruma no kōen: ‘Josei no shōzō’ ten no hansei [Daytime Park on a Weekday: A Reflection on the Exhibition ‘Images of Women in Japanese Contemporary Art 1930’s–40’s’].” “Kōzō,” no.12 (October 1997): 26–36.English translation
Kitahara Megumi. “Nihon no bijutsukai ni okeru ‘takaga seibetsu’ o meguru ronsō: 1997–98 [Debates Concerning ‘Mere Sexual Difference’ in the Japanese Art World, 1997–98].” “Impaction,” no. 110 (October 1998): 96–107.English translation
Kokatsu Reiko. “Sengo no ‘zen’ei’ geijitsu undō to josei ātisuto 1950–60 nendai [Postwar Avant-Garde Art Movements and Woman Artists, 1950s–1960s].” In “Zen'ei no josei 1950–1975 [Japanese Women Artists in Avant-Garde Movements, 1950–1975],” edited by Kokatsu Reiko, and Yoshimoto Midori, 9–17. Utsunomiya: Tochigikenritsu Bijutsukan (Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts), 2005 (Venue: Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Kasahara Michiko. “Yanagi Miwa sakuhin ni miru gendai Nihon josei no ishiki: ‘Nihon no keshō bunka: Keshō to biishiki’ ni yosete [The Consciousness of Contemporary Japanese Women Seen in the Works of Yanagi Miwa].” In “Jendā shashin ron: 1991–2017 [Gender Theory in Photography 1991–2017],” 337–353. Kawasaki: Satoyamasha, 2018.English translation
Kira Tomoko. “Sensō bijutsuten ni okeru ‘jūgo’ no zuzō [Images of the Home Front in War Art Exhibitions].” In “20-seiki no josei bijutsuka to shikaku hyōshō no chōsa kenkyū: Ajia ni okeru sensō to diasupora no kioku. Kagaku Kenkyūhi Hojokin Kiso Kenkyū (B) Hōkokusho [Research on Women Artists and Visual Representation in 20th Century: Memory of the War and Diaspora in Asia. 2008–2010 Nendo Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) Report on the Research Achievements],” 11–29. Osaka: Kitahara Megumi, 2011.English translation
Kojima, Kaoru. “The Woman in Kimono: An Ambivalent Image of Modern Japanese Identity.” “Jissen Women's University, Aesthetics and Art History” 25 (March 2011): 1–15.English translation
“Josei āto korekutibu no genzai. Odawara Nodoka, Momose Aya taidan (zenpen) [On Female Artist Collectives Today: A Talk Between Odawara Nodoka and Momose Aya]” Shirīzu: Jendā furī wa kanō ka?, 10. “Bijutsu techō.” Published November 30, 2019. https://bijutsutecho.com/magazine/series/s21/20980English translation
Odawara Nodoka. “Naze josei no daichōkokuka wa arawarenai noka? [Why Have There Been No Great Women Sculptors?]”. “Bijutsu techō” 73, no. 1089 (August 2021): 92–97.English translation

Learn more

To learn more about Feminism and/in Japanese, please refer to the following resource.

Further Readings on Feminism and/in Japanese Art (PDF 775KB)Open in a new tab

Available in Japanese only/8 pages total
Last Updated: March 31, 2023
Compiled by Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan project

Japan in Asia

This theme focuses on writings that address the relationship between Japan and Asia in art, the experiences of artists from other parts of Asia who have migrated to Japan and Japanese artists who have migrated to other parts of Asia, and imperialism and decolonization. Through engaging with the discourse on modern and contemporary art history within the framework of the nation state of postwar Japan, the theme sheds light on a more transnational history that lies beneath the surface.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Cho Yang Gyu. ‘Manhōru gaka Kitachōsen ni kaeru no ki [The Manhole Artist: A Record of Going Home to North Korea].’ “Geijutsu shinchō” 11, no. 11 (November 1960): 182–190.English translation
Kuroda Raiji. “Ajia gendai bijutsu: ‘Būmu’ no omote to ura [Behind the ‘Boom’ in Contemporary Asian Art].” “Kikan āto ekusupuresu (Art Express),” no. 6 (Spring 1995): 32–42.English translation
Cai Guo-Qiang. “Sai Kokkyō (Cai Guo-Qiang) shi ni kiku ‘geijutsu no kokusaika to sakka no tachiba’ [Interview with Cai Guo-Qiang: The Internationalization of Art and the Position of the Artist].” By Abe Taiga, Takeda Norihito, Takeda Masaaki, and Doi Nobuaki. “Sturm,” no. 7 (1996): 106–115.English translation
“Teidan: Ajia bijutsukan ga dekiru made[Roundtable: Towards an Asian art museum].” In “Ajia no bijutsu: Fukuoka Ajia Bijutsukan no korekushon to sono katsudō [Art of Asia: The collection and activities of Fukuoka Asian Art Museum].” Revised and Enlarged edition. 133–139. Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppan Sha, 2002.English translation
Hariu Ichirō. “‘2002 Arun ten’ no igi: Watashi no Kankoku, Chōsen bunka kōryūshi kara [The Significance of the Areum Exhibition 2002: A History of My Personal Exchanges with South and North Korean Culture].” In “2002 Arun ten: Zainichi Korian bijutsu o kiten toshite (Areum Exhibition 2002: Arts of Korean Residents in Japan as the Origin),” edited by Areum Art Network, 6–8. [Osaka]: Areum Art Network, 2002 (Venues: Kyoto City Museum of Art, Kyoto International Community House, Art Space Niji, Kyoto Kyōiku Bunka Center). [Exh. cat.].English translation
Furuichi Yasuko. “Ajia no aratana kankeisei no kōchiku ni mukete: Kokusai Kōryūkikin Ajia Sentā no katsudō [Toward the Construction of New Relationships Across Asia: The Activities of the Japan Foundation Asia Center].” “Bijutsu fōramu 21 (Bijutsu Forum 21)” 11 (February 2005): 51–56.English translation
Ushiroshōji Masahiro. “Nihon gunsei to Tōnan Ajia no bijutsu [Art of Southeast Asia Under Japanese Occupation 1942–45].” “Tetsugaku nenpō” 72 (March 2013): 49–72, Fukuoka: Faculty of Humanities, Kyushu University.English translation
Inaga Shigemi. “‘Kanō’ to shite no hon’yaku: Tsuchida Bakusen, Kim So-un, Kajiyama Toshiyuki.” In “Kaiga no rinkai: Kindai Higashiajia bijutsushi no shikkoku to meiun (Images on the Edge: A Historical Survey of East Asian Cross-cultural Modernities).” 373–389. Nagoya: The University of Nagoya Press, 2014.
Furukawa Mika. “Kinnen, Nihon ni okeru Kankoku bijutsu no juyō to sono ishiki [The Reception and Awareness of Korean Art in Japan in Recent Years].”. “Koria kenkyū (Ritsumeikan Journal of Korean Studies),” no. 9 (December 2018): 51–64.English translation

The 1980s

The 1980s was a period that saw a rise of renewed interest in painting and sculpture, and saw the emergence of neo-expressionist paintings known as New Paintings. At the same time, installation works became common and female artists garnered attention. In the Kansai region, there was an active movement led by young artists, and many experimental group shows were organized and held. Towards the end of the 1980s, contemporaneous works by Japanese artists were being introduced actively overseas. From contemporaneous testimonies by artists and curators to retrospective discussions by researchers, this theme focuses on literature on trends that characterized the 1980s Japan.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Maemoto Shōko. “Maemoto Shōko: Watakushi o miteiru watashi.” “Bijutsu techō” 35, no. 517 (November 1983): 120–125.
[Takama Jun]. “Porimōdo (poly mode) sengen” “Pelican club,” no. 13 (May 1983): 48–51, Kyoto: 21-seikisha.
Tatsuno Toeko “Kaiga no imēji (image).” Interview by Kawasoe Tsuyoshi.“Position: Art critique magazine” 1 (October 1984): 63–65, Tokyo: Pojishon.
Enomoto Ryōichi. “Egaku koto no kairaku, miseru koto no yokubō: Irasutorēshon (Illustration) kara taburō (tableau) e”. “Bijutsu techō” 37, no. 552 (November 1985): 54–58.
Shinohara Motoaki. “Chō shōjo shinpen uchū.” “Bijutsu techō” 38, no. 556 (August 1986): 66–71.
Ono Masaharu. “Wakai gaka e no tegami.” “A & c: art & critic. Kansai no gendai geijutsu hihyōshi,” no. 4 (January 1998): 1–4. Kyoto Geijutsu Tanki Daigaku Geijutsu Bunka Kenkyūjo.
Kondō Yukio. “1980-nendai no Nihon no gendai bijutsu ni miru insutarēshon to aidentitī no mondai [The Question of Identity and Installation in 1980s Japanese Contemporary Art].” In “‘Toranshijon: Henbōsuru shakai to bijutsu’ hōkokusho: Dai 32-kai Kokusai Bijutsu Hyōronka Renmei taikai: Kokusai Bijutsu Hyōronka Renmei Nihon taikai (Transition: Changing Society and Art: XXXII AICA Congress: 1998 AICA Japan Congress).” Tokyo: Bijutsu Hyōronka Renmei, 1999.English translation
Sakagami Shinobu. “80-nendaikō: 80-nendai nyūwēbu o megutte [“On the Eighties”: A Look at the New Wave of the 1980s.” In “Hikikomisen: Tokorozawa Biennāre Pure Bijutsuten (Siding Railroad: Pre-exhibition Tokorozawa Biennial of Contemporary Art),” edited by Shiina Setsu, Sakagami Shinobu, and Hōya Kaori. [Sayama]: Tokorozawa Biennāre Jikkō Iinkai, 2008 (Venue: Seibu Tetsudō Kyū Tokorozawa Sharyō Kōjō). [Exh cat.].English translation
Sawaragi Noi. “‘Āru poppu’ kara hajimeru: 80-nendai no bijutsu o megutte.” “Bijutsu techō” 71, no. 1076 (June 2019): 98–113.

Photography and media

This theme focuses on texts on artists who employ new forms of technology such as photography, video, and computers to create works to pursue new possibilities in expression. Because implementation of new technology has often been carried out by the marginalized, and thus they were not only critical of traditional forms of art, much of the discourse surrounding the works transcended being about technicalities of the media. Interest in technology was not limited to Japanese artists, and so comparisons to discussions taking place in other regions have also been considered.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Natori Yōnosuke. “Kigō to shite no shashin [Photograph-as-Sign].” In “Shashin no yomikata.” Iwanami shinsho. 46–74. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1963.English translation
Ōtsuji Kiyoji. “Shugi no jidai wa tōzakatte [Moving Beyond the Age of Isms].” “Kamera mainichi (Camera Mainichi)” 15, no. 7 (174) (June 1968): 15–18.English translation
Idemitsu Mako. “Muishiki o kansatsu suru [Observing the Unconscious].” “Gekkan Imēji Fōramu [Image Forum]” 2, no. 3 (January 1981): 58–65.English translation
Akiyama Kuniharu. “Sōgetsu Āto Sentā [Sogetsu Art Center].” In “Bunka no shikakenin: Gendai bunka no jiba to pāsupekuchibu [Instigators of Culture: Fields of Influence and Perspectives of Contemporary Culture].” 445–498. Tokyo: Seidosha, 1985.English translation
Yamaguchi Katshiro. “Eizō e ridatsushite yuku sekai: Fukushima Hideko 1948–1988 [The World of Fukushima Hideko: Breaking Away, into Images].” “Bijutsu techō” 44, no. 657 (August 1992): 131–142.English translation
Nishimoto Masami. “Gembaku kiroku shashin: Umoreta shijitsu o kenshō suru.” “Hiroshima Heiwa Kinen Shiryōkan (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum) chōsa kenkyūkai kenkyū hokōku” 4 (March 2008): 1-9.
Yoshioka Hiroshi. “Media āto to iu bunka [The Culture of Media Art].” “Bijutsu fōramu 21 (Bijutsu Forum 21)” 30 (November 2014): 125–129.English translation
Nakamura Fumiko. “Shitone to shite no Takano Ryūdai ‘Ore to with KJ#2 (2007)’ [Takano Ryudai's With KJ#2 as a Bed].” “Aichi Kenritsu Bitsukan kenkyū kiyō (Bulletin of the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art),” no. 21 (March 2015): 54–63.English translation
Shimizu Kento. “Konnichi no medeiatēku (mediatheque) to insutarēshon (installation): Atogaki ni kaete.” In “Konnichiwa gijutsu to shite no bijutsu (Nice to Meet You Artechnik),” edited by Hosoya Shūhei, and Shimizu Kento, 110–117. Sendai: Sendai Mediatheque, 2018 (Venue: Sendai Mediatheque). [Exh. cat].
Nagashima, Yurie. “‘Dare mo yaranai kara, jibun de yaru shika nai’: Shashinka Nagashima Yurie ga kotoba de katari tsuzukeru riyū [Nagashima Yurie: No One Else was Doing it, so I Had to Do It Myself].” Interview by Miwa Goroku. “The Fashion Post.” Published April 21, 2020. https://fashionpost.jp/portraits/180108English translation

State and ecology

In addition to art practices that tackle environmental issues, this theme focuses on texts that consider the art "ecology" in Japan, such as the state of exhibition facilities and art “festivals.” The theme also reflects on how—having overcome the notion of essentialist cultural identity—the social systems have shaped art in Japan and how the artists have dealt with them.
Please refer to Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan Translation Project for the selection policy.

Cho Yang Gyu, and Hariu Ichirō. “Kitachōsen ni kaetta Cho Yang Gyu: Sono genjitsu to kaiga/jiko to hyōgen no mondai.” “Bijutsu jānaru [Journal],” no. 15 (December 1960): 24–37.
Akasegawa Genpei. “‘Shihon shugi riarizumu’ ron [Theses on ‘Capitalist Realism’].” “Nihon Dokusho Shinbun” 1246 (February 24, 1964).English translation
Nakaya Fujiko. “Kūki to mizu [Air and Water].” “Bijutsu techō” 22, no. 330 (July 1997): 105–108.English translation
Kikuhata Mokuma. “Fujita yo anata wa...: Taiheiyō sensō kirokuga kara no kōsatsu [Dear Foujita...: An Examination of the Pacific War Record Paintings].” “Bijutsu techō” 24, no. 353 (March 1972): 174–187.English translation
Tsutsumi Seiji. “Jidai seishin no konkyochi to shite [A Base for the Zeitgeist].” In “Nihon gendai bijutsu no tenbō [View of Japanese Contemporary Art],” supervised by Ōoka Makoto, Okada Takahiko, Kinokuni Ken'ichi, and Oda Katsushi. [Tokyo]: Seibu Bijutsukan (The Seibu Museum of Art), 1975 (Venue: Seibu Museum of Art). [Exh. cat.]. English translation
Taki Kōji. “‘Goshin’ei’ no tanjō [The Origins of Goshin’ei].” In “Tennō no shōzō.” Iwanami Shinsho. 113–153. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1988.English translation
Okazaki Kenjirō, Tazaki Hideaki, and Sawaragi Noi. “Sekai no kakekin, rekishi no haitō: Sekaishi gēmu no tame no rūru bukku [World Stakes/History Shares: A Rule Book for the World History Game].” “Frame: Art & Conflict,” no. 2 (February 1991): 5–17.English translation
Kawamata Tadashi. “Mainoritī toshite no gendai bijutsu: Komyuniti no atarashii shokubai [Contemporary Art as Minority: A New Catalyst for the Community].” In “Ātoresu: mainoriti toshiteno gendai bijutsu [Artless: Contemporary Art as Minority].” 166–187. Tokyo: Film Art, 2001.English translation
Fujita Naoya. “Zen’ei no zonbitachi: Chiiki āto no shomondai [Zombies of the Avant-Garde: The Problems with Locality Art].” “Subaru” 36, no. 10 (October 2014): 240–253.English translation
Ma Jung-Yeon. “Mikami Seiko ‘Suitcases 1993 | 2020.’” “Relations.” Published October, 2020. https://relations-tokyo.com/2020/10/01/seiko-mikami-suitcases-1993-2020-jaEnglish translation