Special Lecture ~ "Visions of Tokyo in Japanese Contemporary Art"

Adrian Favell, Professor of Sociology, Sciences Po, Paris

Thanks to superstar Takashi Murakami, Japanese contemporary art has dominantly been visualised in terms of pop culture, particularly its futuristic, decadent vision of "Neo-Tokyo" as an imaginary landscape. It is epitomised by Roppongi Hills, which Murakami branded with his visuals when it opened. Behind this, other artists present contrasting visions of "Real Tokyo" far from the tourist path, concerned with a traditional, popular urban landscape disappearing in the march of global capital transforming the city. Illustrating my talk with various works of art and architecture, I offer a guide to both "Neo" and "Real" Tokyos in Japanese contemporary art.