23.1 Post-war art movements in China, Japan, and Korea

Post-war East Asian art saw radical shifts in China, Japan, and Korea. Artists broke from tradition, embracing new styles and ideas. They grappled with political changes, cultural identity, and the impact of Western influences.

These movements reflected each country's unique experiences and challenges. From China's Political Pop to Japan's Gutai Group and Korea's Minjung art, artists pushed boundaries and created powerful, thought-provoking works.

Post-war Art Movements in China

Socialist Realism and Political Pop

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• Socialist Realism was the official art style in China from the 1950s to the 1970s
  • Depicted idealized scenes of workers, peasants, and soldiers to promote communist ideals
  • Artists were required to follow strict guidelines and produce art that served the state's propaganda purposes
• Political Pop emerged in the 1990s as a critique of the commercialization and westernization of Chinese society
  • Artists appropriated imagery from popular culture (advertisements, cartoons) and combined it with socialist realist elements to create ironic and subversive works
  • Notable artists include Wang Guangyi, who juxtaposed communist propaganda images with Western brand logos (Coca-Cola, Chanel) to highlight the contradictions of modern China

Cynical Realism and Experimental Ink Painting

• Cynical Realism developed in the 1990s as a response to the disillusionment and cynicism of the post-Tiananmen Square era
  • Characterized by a dark, satirical style that often depicted figures with exaggerated, distorted features and mocking expressions
  • Prominent artists include Fang Lijun and Yue Minjun, known for their signature laughing figures that critique the absurdity and hypocrisy of contemporary society
• Experimental Ink Painting emerged in the 1980s as artists began to challenge traditional ink painting conventions and incorporate modern techniques and concepts
  • Artists experimented with abstract forms, unconventional materials (mixed media, collage), and large-scale formats to push the boundaries of the medium
  • Gu Wenda is a notable example, known for his monumental installations made from human hair and ink that explore themes of identity, culture, and tradition

Post-war Art Movements in Japan

Gutai Group and Mono-ha

• The Gutai Group was founded in 1954 and emphasized the importance of originality, experimentation, and the physical act of creation
  • Artists explored unconventional materials (mud, plastic, light) and techniques (performance, installation) to create innovative and interactive works
  • Key figures include Kazuo Shiraga, who painted with his feet while suspended from a rope, and Atsuko Tanaka, known for her "Electric Dress" made of flashing light bulbs
• Mono-ha (School of Things) emerged in the late 1960s and focused on the relationships between natural and industrial materials
  • Artists arranged simple, unaltered objects (stones, wood, metal) in minimalist compositions to highlight their inherent properties and the space around them
  • Lee Ufan, a Korean-born artist, was a leading figure in the movement and is known for his sculptures that juxtapose rocks with steel plates to create a sense of tension and balance

Abstract Expressionism and Sots Art in Japan

• Abstract Expressionism, which originated in the United States, had a significant influence on Japanese artists in the post-war period
  • Artists such as Jiro Yoshihara and Kazuo Shiraga adopted the spontaneous, gestural techniques of the American movement and infused them with elements of traditional Japanese calligraphy and Zen philosophy
  • The Gutai Group, in particular, shared many similarities with Abstract Expressionism in their emphasis on the physical act of creation and the importance of the artist's individual expression
• Sots Art, a Soviet version of Pop Art, also had an impact on Japanese artists in the 1980s
  • Artists appropriated and parodied Soviet propaganda imagery to critique the consumerism and materialism of Japanese society
  • Hiroshi Nakamura is a notable example, known for his paintings that combine Soviet-style heroic figures with Japanese pop culture icons (Godzilla, Astro Boy) to create humorous and subversive works

Post-war Art Movements in Korea

Minjung Art and Dansaekhwa

• Minjung art (People's Art) emerged in the 1980s as a socially engaged movement that sought to address political oppression and social inequality
  • Artists used a variety of media (painting, woodblock prints, posters) to create works that were accessible to the masses and conveyed messages of resistance and solidarity
  • Notable examples include the woodblock prints of Hong Sung-dam, which depicted scenes of labor strikes and student protests, and the murals of Oh Yoon, which celebrated the resilience and strength of the Korean people
• Dansaekhwa (Monochrome Painting) developed in the 1970s as a minimalist style that emphasized the physical properties of the painting process
  • Artists used a limited palette of neutral colors (white, beige, gray) and repetitive brushstrokes to create meditative, abstract compositions that focused on the materiality of the paint and the canvas
  • Key figures include Park Seo-bo, who is known for his "Ecriture" series of white paintings that feature intricate, textured surfaces created by layering and scraping the paint, and Chung Sang-hwa, who uses a technique of folding and unfolding the canvas to create grid-like patterns and creases in his monochromatic works