FriendsWithYou | Koichi Sato | Emily Yong Beck

About

Japan’s embrace of cuteness developed in the self-aware and politically competitive environment of the 1970’s. The aggressive development of the kawaii aesthetic was highly manufactured, according to researcher Christine Yano — part of Japan’s intention to boost cultural standing globally. Shedding the association with imperial domination which shadowed the country after the second world war, Japan shifted it’s focus on being analogous with coolness and youth, in a more feminized less threatening manner. The attitude toward kawaii has, of course, been mixed. Some suggest that it infantilizes the country and couples Japan’s rich cultural heritage too closely to kitsch. Artists have similarly looked to the aesthetic with admiration as well as derision. The works of three distinct artists in the exhibition are a small selection revealing the impact of kawaii culture on artists from different backgrounds.