Japan Art Revolution: The Japanese Avant-Garde, from Angura to Provoke

The 1960s in Japan were a time of profound social change, political unrest, and student protests. The turbulent years of the postwar era inspired an artistic explosion, with the emergence of a revolutionary scene of avant-garde artists who pioneered many disciplines: experimental and erotic photography, “Angura” theater and underground street performances, apocalyptic butoh dance, surreal illustrations, and seminal graphic design.

Taking design cues from Japanese luminaries Yokoo Tadanori and Awazu Kiyoshi, Japan Art Revolution showcases more than six hundred captivating artworks, encompassing photographs, film stills, theater posters, and illustrations by visionary artists including Moriyama Daido, Hosoe Eiko, Araki Nobuyoshi, Ishiuchi Miyako, Tanaami Keiichi, Hijikata Tatsumi, Ohno Kazuo, Terayama Shuji, Tenjo Sajiki, Kawada Kikuji, Neo-Dada Organizers, Hi-­Red Center, Hanaga Mitsutoshi, Nakahira Takuma, and Tanabe Santaro, to name a few of the artists featured in this book.

Drawing on extensive interviews with these iconic artists, this comprehensive publication offers readers a nuanced understanding of the thriving world of Japanese avant-­garde art, complemented by insightful texts and quotes from esteemed experts, curators, academics, and archivists.