Edo Pop exhibition

     Ukiyo-e "is a visual affirmation of rising modern life during the Edo period, and it also reflects the change in art patronage and following shifts in taste from the moralizing overtones of earlier imagery to a fresh and seductive sensibility of popular culture." However, contemporary artist has keep exploring and integrating with their works, which reflected their present lives. ("Edo Pop" 3) The contemporary artist that I chose is AIKO. Although AIKO is Japanese, she has more passionate about foreign cultures. She has began to feel closer to the Edo pop when she found American pop art and graffiti art. ("Edo Pop"4) AIKO's artworks are used to be graffiti art that express her daily life. For her, graffiti art it's also a performance art which represent lives.

AIKO's graffiti work "Sunrise"

    It is clear to see there is a strongly connection between AIKO's graffiti work "Sunrise" and Katsushika's "under the wave off kanagawa.." The huge wave in the background of AIKO's artwork has influenced by Katsushika's. However, AIKO has turned into a whole new graffiti with her unique style. She added other elements to integrate the wave and even  made the wave more stronger and bigger. In her graffiti, she used multi-colors and lots of ironic icon to represent the Japanese culture.

Katsushika's "under the wave off kanagawa.."

      I really like the show, the space and the display order have made the show successful. It has organized clearly that the viewers can easily make the connection between each artworks. However, since most of the artworks are dedicated with lots of details. I felt a little bit hard to see clearly in the show, because the light is not strong enough.