Donald Keene Center Special Lecture Series: Art During the Occupation: The Case of Matsumoto Shunsuke

April 14, 2005

Donald Keene Center Special Lecture Series
Art During the Occupation: The Case of Matsumoto Shunsuke
Donald McCallum (Professor, Department of Art History, University of California, Los Angeles)
403 Kent Hall, Columbia University (116th St. and Amsterdam Ave.)
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

A crucial aspect of modern Japanese experience, the Occupation of 1945-1952, has been well studied by historians and political scientists, but less attention has been given to the visual culture of these years. This talk will deal with some of the key issues of the period, concentrating on the work of the painter Matsumoto Shunsuke (1912-1948). Particular attention will be directed toward his artistic responses during the immediate aftermath of the war, especially in relation to the destruction of Tokyo. The talk will conclude with an analysis of Matsumoto’s efforts to reestablish a personal artistic identity in 1946-1948, following the hardships and tragedies of the war years.