Theses on "Capitalist Realism"

This is an article published in the Nihon Dokusho Shimbun in February 1964 by artist and author Akasegawa Genpei (1937–2014). On the occasion of his February 1963 solo exhibition, On the Ambiguous Ocean, Akasegawa used paper featuring a reproduction of a 1000-yen note on one side for his invitations and has since exhibited works using the motif of the 1000-yen note. In January 1964, he was questioned on suspicion of being involved in the Chi-37 counterfeiting scandal, a national story at the time, and this was reported in the newspapers. In this article, Akasegawa for the first time clarified his intentions regarding his printing of a 1000-yen note, asserting that it was not a counterfeit (nisesatsu) but a model (mokei).

According to Akasegawa, his work, which was a “model” in imitation of a bank note, undermines the legitimacy of the “real thing (honmono)” and forces us to take a critical view of the monetary system, as well as the private ownership system, that is predicated on that legitimacy. Akasegawa argues that, unlike the counterfeit currency that tries to replace real currency, his “1,000-yen note,” is nothing more than a “model” stripped of its function—a “useless white elephant.” However, the “real thing” is contrasted with the “model,” which in turn forces it to assert its own legitimacy. Paradoxically, the legitimacy of the “real thing” depends upon a denial of the “models” and the “fakes (nisemono).” Regarding his piece Morphology of Revenge: Look Closely at the Adversary Before Killing Him (Fukushū no keitaigaku: Korosu mae ni aite o yoku miru), in which Akasegawa enlarged a 1,000-yen note to 200-times its size, he notes that “this painting, which I copied down utterly without adding sentiment of any sort, was shit realism—not Socialist Realism, but what we may call Capitalist Realism” and points out the critical significance of being an “active onlooker of the world.”

This article was reprinted in Akasegawa Genpei no bunshō: Obuje o motta musansha, which was originally published in 1970.

Title

Theses on "Capitalist Realism"

Author

Akasegawa Genpei

First published

1964

Translation

William Marotti

Editing

Andrew Maerkle, Uesaki Sen

Design

Ian Lynam

Theme

State and Ecology

First Posted Online

2021-03-15

Last modified

2021-03-15

© 2021 Akasegawa Genpei + Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan

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Citation

Footnote/endnote: Akasegawa Genpei, "Theses on ‛Capitalist Realism,’" trans. William Marotti, Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan, posted March 15, 2021, artplatform.go.jp/readings/R202008.

Bibliography: Akasegawa Genpei. "Theses on 'Capitalist Realism.'" Translated by William Marotti. Bunka-cho Art Platform Japan. Posted March 15, 2021. artplatform.go.jp/readings/R202008.

Original Japanese Edition

Akasegawa Genpei, “‘Shihon shugi riarizumu’ ron,” Nihon dokusho shimbun, no. 1246 (February 24, 1964); reprinted in Akasegawa Genpei, Obuje o motta musansha: Akasegawa Genpei no bunshō [The proletarian who possessed objets: The writings of Akasegawa Genpei] (Tokyo: Gendai Shichōsha, 1970), 25–32; reprinted in Akasegawa Genpei, Obuje o motta musansha: Akasegawa Genpei no bunshō (Tokyo: Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2015), 29–36.

赤瀬川原平「”資本主義リアリズム”論」、『日本読書新聞』1246号（1964年2月24日）。赤瀬川原平『オブジェを持った無産者 : 赤瀬川原平の文章』現代思潮社、1970年、25–32頁。復刻版：赤瀬川原平『オブジェを持った無産者 : 赤瀬川原平の文章』河出書房新社 、2015年、29–36頁。

National Diet Library(NDL)

First printed: https://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/000001281873
Reprinted: https://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/026028188

ISBN

Reprint: 9784309275550