April 14, 2010 (Wednesday)
6:00 PM
Miller Theater, Columbia University (map)
116th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.

Speaker: Yasumasa Morimura

Lecture information:
Widely known as the artist who transforms himself into the Mona Lisa and movie actresses, Yasumasa Morimura has won international acclaim for his unique and avant-garde expression of ‘beauty’. Since 1985, his focus has been his ‘self-portrait series’, consisting of unique reconstructions of art masterpieces in which the subject’s face is substituted with that of Morimura himself. Through careful study and analysis of the themes, artists, and historical background of these works, Morimura searches out their raison d’etre and transforms them according to his own interpretations. His ability to deconstruct, subvert, and simultaneously create an homage is what enables his work continually to defy categorization.

Lecturer information:
He was born in Osaka and graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 1978. Since 1985, Yasumasa Morimura has primarily shown his work in international solo exhibitions.