岡上淑子・Okanoue Toshiko: Collage & photography

戦後時代、フェミニストの視点、社会・政治論評＆女性らしいファンタジー

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Post War era, feminist social & political comment plus fantasy from a woman's point of view.

It seems appropriate to write about this exhibition today,
on International Women's Day.
Okanoue Toshiko was born in Kochi and grew up in Tokyo.



岡上さんの草分け的アートを今日
3月８日、国際女性デーで思い出すのは適切だと思います。

「女性の持つさまざまな心の綾というのでしょうか、
それとも情念といいましょうか、
そんなモノを、知らず知らずのうちに私は作品に蒔いていたのでした。」

"Without being aware of it,
I have planted such delicate nuances of a woman’s heart
and sown seeds of such sentiments into my works."

The images in this exhibition are strongly feminist,
cutting through and cutting-up images of fashion,
subverting the stereotypical portrayal of women
as manufactured to consume and be consumed
and throwing those images back, sometimes a little shockingly,
often with humour.
When you consider these are from the 1950's and 60's you feel
that the artist was pushing hard at the social norms of the time,
creating feminist critiques of a male dominated, consumerist society.
(and having fun doing it!)
Still good to see today and definitely ground-breaking at the time.

Checkout her portfolio here: amanasalto

Many of the images posses something deep, psychological,
reminiscent of Jungian archetypes.
In this era, where Photoshop-ed images are everywhere,
it is good to see these simple yet powerful images.

Kochi Prefectural Museum of Art
The exhibition runs until March 25th.