“Prism of the Real” Reframes Japan’s Creative Evolution 1989–2010 at NACT

Confronting the Trauma of War: A Unique Exploration

Chapter 1, Ghosts of the Past, features works related to war.

Immediately upon entering, visitors are struck by Yoshitomo Nara’s deceptively cute figures. His painting of a wide-eyed child bears the title Agent Orange, referencing the chemical weapon used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The child’s head resembles a soldier’s helmet, and the contrast between the figure’s innocence and the weight of its title evokes a subtle but unsettling tension in the viewer.

Continuing along, a brightly colored kimono immediately catches the eye. It is Yui, You-I by Yuken Teruya, dyed using Bingata, a traditional Okinawan technique dating back to the Ryukyu Kingdom. On closer inspection, among auspicious motifs like pine and cherry blossoms, paratroopers descend from the sky, fighter jets and helicopters appear, and even what seems to be a dugong—displaced from its habitat—can be seen. These unsettling motifs, hidden within the beauty of a garment made with traditional techniques, create an eerie tension. The work makes one acutely aware of how such scenes and issues exist within everyday life in Okinawa.

Other works in the chapter revisit historical and political issues through contemporary lenses: Makoto Aida’s Beautiful Flag (War Paintings RETURNS) revives war paintings for the present; Tomoko Yoneda’s Japanese House series focuses on Japanese-style residences built in Taiwan during the colonial period; and Simon Starling’s Project for a Masquerade (Hiroshima) reexamines history through sculptures in Hiroshima and Chicago. These works collectively highlight how artists confront and reinterpret historical and political challenges.