Tag: Akiko Walley

Emasculation of the Other: Meiji Ukiyo-e War Prints and Japanese Identity

Presenter: Eun-Jai Shin – Art History

Faculty Mentor(s): Akiko Walley

Session: (Virtual) Oral Panel—Read, Speak and Act

The Meiji Restoration of 1868 was one of the most monumental moments of East Asian history, featuring Japan’s rise as an imperial power. Rigorous nationalistic development helped it achieve its first victory in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). However, these feats were not without insecurities, and Japan as the new ‘Empire of Asia’ necessitated validation of its reformed identity and influence. Ukiyo-e, woodblock printing from the Edo Period, was revitalized during this time and served as a new form of reportage, providing a popularly consumable and replicable source of current events. Furthermore, its realist agenda- assured credibility- enabled it to become an ideal platform for propaganda. This presentation will focus on marginalization- specifically the emasculation– of subaltern others during the First Sino-Japanese War- and how its compositional, figural and symbolic depiction of China and Korea assisted in the Japanese assertion of superiority and dominance.

Not Just a Pretty Face: 19th Century Japanese Courtesans and their Influence in Art Exportation

Presenter: Brandi Wilkens

Faculty Mentor: Akiko Walley

Presentation Type: Oral

Primary Research Area: Humanities

Major: Art History

Funding Source: HURF, UO, $2500

19th century Japan was a time of momentous changes. The Edo period ended shortly after the country was opened to the West. The Meiji period, beginning in 1868, shows a society grappling with many changes. By examining
19th century woodblock prints and souvenir photography, I will examine Japanese courtesans, their reinvention in the 1870s as geisha, and their influence over art exportation. I will argue that these women were far more than common prostitutes, by exploring their rigorous training, and indicating in what ways they used their minds and business acumen to further their careers. These women were linked with Europeans due to their relationships with Dutch traders since the 16th century; courtesans provided the buffer between foreigners and the native Japanese population. Due to these close associations, courtesans were able to influence Japanese art exportation, both through woodblock prints and later through souvenir photography.

The complications of time period differences, and the difficulties in acquiring the necessary language skills (both Japanese and European languages are required), has created an unfortunate lack of scholarship on this vibrant time of change and cultural exchange between Japan and the West. It is my goal to shed more light on the changing dynamics of these tumultuous interactions, while bringing these marginalized women to the forefront, where there is evidence of their involvement with Westerners.

The Evolution of the Comic Panel in Japanese Manga: An Exploration of the Comic Panel from Ancient Times to Modern Day

Presenter: Grace Shum

Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Wheeler, Akiko Walley

Presentation Type: Oral

Primary Research Area: Humanities

Major: English, Digital Arts, Advertising

Manga, the Japanese comic form has a style distinct from that of American superhero comics, European comics, and more. But how did manga form stylistically? I am exploring the answer to this question visually. By examining the evolution of Japanese narrative comic form, beginning from narrative picture scrolls to present day dojinshi fan art, I look to examine the basic construct of comics – the panel – to contemplate the evolution of manga today. Of course, since manga is a visual form, what better way to explain its evolution but through a comic itself? The end goal of my ongoing creative thesis is to have a comic book that tells a story itself, one that reflects the panel evolution in Japanese manga. Comics have only recently been taken seriously as a subject of academia and manga is a huge, as yet not widely touched, section of comic history. In this way, my own narrative will endeavor to illustrate how manga’s evolution is really a narrative itself and how distinct this comic form is from its global counterparts due to its heritage, cultural nuances, geographical and political isolation in the past, and language.