The aesthetics of the 1960s in Japan, across film, performance and visual arts and literature, captured the thoughts and feelings of people expressing their frustration in prolonged waves of protest.
The resonances from these movements continue in the present. When Japanese Self-Defense Forces participated in the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan at the behest of the Administrations of Bush II, their political role in global affairs was no less a ‘client state’ than in the earlier era.
This talk will show samples of celebrated and lesser known art works from the period and discuss how ordinary people can and do continue to say NO to military belligerence.
