Okinawa Museum Bans Controversial Hirohito Collages

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]Kyodo: Naha museum bans artist's Hirohito collage
A museum run by Okinawa Prefecture has barred a series of collages featuring photos of the late Emperor Hirohito from its ongoing exhibition for "educational" reasons. The work barred from the Okinawa Prefectural Art Museum is a 14-piece collage series crafted by 60-year-old artist Nobuyuki Oura when he was in his 30s. Each features a cutout photograph of the Emperor, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, along with such images as mushroom clouds, naked women and an anatomical chart of human bodies...The decision has drawn a barrage of criticism from art critics in Okinawa. "Okinawa was drawn into the ground battle during World War II under Japan's Imperial system," said one of the critics. "The prefectural government does not understand how dreadful it would be for authorities to promote only art that sees a bright side while avoiding facing up to the reality of the unfortunate part of history." Another said, "The museum should have left the judgment on the art up to its audience instead of resorting to censorship or self-restraint"...more...

[Catoneinutica]

Lese majeste - it's not just for Thais; indeed, one could argue that it's enforced much more vigorously here, albeit unofficially.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Lese majeste - it's not just for Thais]one could argue that it's enforced much more vigorously here[/b], albeit unofficially.

Not really. If I were the artist and I had to choose between spending a long time in a Thai prison or not having my art displayed in a Japanese prefectural museum, I think I'd go with the latter.

[Catoneinutica]

Not really. If I were the artist and I had to choose between spending a long time in a Thai prison or not having my art displayed in a Japanese prefectural museum, I think I'd go with the latter.

Doesn't mean lese majeste isn't enforced here; there just aren't many data points, because the concept has been so deeply internalized by the Japanese. But give it a shot! Try out a bit of "performance art" whereby you stand on a corner in Shinjuku handing out urinal cakes with Hirohito's name on them. Or try wearing a sandwich board with mean things written on it in bold characters. I'd go with: (front) "Hirohito, a war criminal, should've swung at Sugamo...because he ate my balls!" and (back) "The kids called him 'cha bu chan'! And that old hag of a wife of his had sand in her vagina."

You might be on the receiving end of a punishment even more severe than a Thai prison. Or maybe not!

[Behan]

[quote="Catoneinutica"]Doesn't mean lese majeste isn't enforced here]

I think you would soon be an uyoku sheeshkabob.