Introduction
Globalisation is a process that influences most of the aspects in life and it is a changing phenomenon. It can be defined as a process of global interconnectedness band accelerated interdependence (Berghman, 2005, p.6). In Japan, globalisation has influenced a number of things, art (painting) being one of them. Globalisation has seen Japanese painting go global as it has been influenced by foreign ideas and as a result it has evolved to attain a global recognition.
Some of the Japanese paintings have scooped awards in the international scene like in America and France, where they have obtained much of the influence from. In our discussion we will look at two of the most popular Japanese artist (Takashi Murakami & Taro Okamoto) and how their arts have been influenced by globalisation in contemporary Japan. They have in turn influenced the art of painting in Japan to develop it and push it to a global level. Globalisation enables the arts from Japan to be exhibited all over the world without the artists having to necessarily travel the world. We have the benefits and the setbacks of globalisation too.
Japanese artists
Japanese painters have been exposed to foreign ideas and have in turn incorporated them into their work. Artists like Tokashi Murakami, have been awarded in New York for their outstanding performance in painting and have been regarded as the most influential contemporary artists in Japan’s history. His painting Little Boy that he painted in 2005 was awarded in the New York’s Thematic Museum Show, indicating the awareness and relevance of Japanese fine art in the world (Yamaguchi, 2007, p.7).
He concentrates on ‘anime’ which he has dubbed ‘superflat’. His art is highly influenced by incorporation of foreign ideas for the competitiveness of his art in the international market, and at the same time try to influence it (Boughton & Mason, 2002, p.67). In this peace of art Little Boy he was trying to target the American audience where he took a tour of his art in 2001 in America.
Murakami attributes these insights from Japan’s negative interaction with the western world, America. He says that: a value system that was based on infantile sensibility; lack of definitive structures in the society; and amateurism are some of the negative attributes that gave rise to this culture of creativity and artistic expression that has seen Japan rise in its contemporary art (Murakami, 1999 in Yamaguchi, 2007, p.8).
This resulted from the fact Japan had always received a lot of external insights only that it did not respond for a long time (Boughton & Mason, 2002, p.67). When it started to respond, such creativity like the one exhibited by Murakami came to be known. Murakami challenges the new generation on the ideas they have preconceived about art and urges them to change and see what the response will be. He advocates the blending original ideas with foreign ideas to develop great arts.
Another artist is Taro Okamato who got his influence as a student in France. Aspects like abstraction-creation influenced his work and he tried to incorporate them in his work. Though it has been tough to convince the other artists in his country, and had to appear in television shows and comedies to familiarise the audience about his new art (Yamaguchi, 2007, p.7). He advocated avant-garde art and the symbiosis of polar opposites. He has produced pieces like Yoake (Dawn) and Jukogyo (Heavy Industry). In 1970, he produced the “Taiyo no to” or Tower of the sun. He viewed art as an explosion that takes many dimensions. His work was mainly influence from France where he attended his higher studies and on returning to Japan he ha a tough time trying to fit in his work (Yamaguchi, 2007, p.7).
How globalisation benefits Japanese art
The effects can be looked at in two ways, positive and negative. Globalization has played a role to transform Japanese art. Through the use of symbols, signs and imitation relating to Japanese artwork to coexist and compete with international art, thereby gaining its popularity and prowess in the world of painting (Miller et al, 2009, p.95). Japanese Contemporary Art has been more distinguished because with globalisation the artists can showcase their work in different parts of the world without necessarily having to travel to these places (Berking, 2003, p. 249).
The technology that has been brought about and advanced by globalisation gives them an avenue or medium to market their work and this comes as a benefit to the Japanese artists. This helps the artists to explore their contemporary communities and address the social challenges that are associated with it (Noma, 2003, p.123). For example, Murakami, his work explores and exposes Japan’s modern national conceptions of globalisation in Japan, challenging his society, thus maintaining a vision in society and at the same time addressing issues that are relevant to the broader contemporary society (Berking, 2003, p. 249). He explores the community through art in order to portray modern culture and behaviour in communities.
On the other hand, the negative effects of globalisation on Japanese art. The expression that Murakami uses and the basis on which his art is based, a negative relationship with the west (Yamaguchi, 2007, p.8), may be paradoxical in the way the other audience in the world views his work. He sees Japan as having relied too much on American ideologies and to him creative art and expression comes as a way of trying to detaching society from these ideologies, which have controlled the Japanese people for a long time. These ideologies are deceiving and are for the benefit of America only and Japan needs to liberate itself and have its own ideologies (Yoda and Harry, 2006, p.42).
With globalization, Japan’s artistic culture has an ambivalent emotion towards modernity and the effect(s) it incurs on society. However, these feelings are often ignored because of the growth in globalisation (Tomlinson, 2003, p.67). Japan’s developed and industrialised economy tends to be viewed in line of its emerging and developing artistic culture and it is in line with those of other developed western countries like America (Tomlinson, 2003, p.67).
Critics of globalisation and Japanese art
Some critics are of the notion that globalisation especially in the world of arts and their purchasing is of symbolic impact to the western world (Smoodin, 1994, p.185). The Japanese bought a piece of art from America, the Van Gogh’s painting, was seen as a move to please the Americans and not for their own benefit in art. This makes globalisation a phenomenon that is not necessarily for the well being of art in Japan. It seems that the kind of interaction between Japan and America is not one for the mutual benefit for both of the countries’ art welfare (Tomlinson, 2003, p.67). This results from the commercialization of arts, painting, and as a result without the monetary involvement of these artefacts, the countries are not seen to be serious in the globalised artistic world.
Globalisation through art has also led to the dispersal of people (Befu and Sylvie, 2001, p.5). Japanese finest artists have dispersed to other parts of the world, where they are accredited and so they are seen as having abandoned Japan. Some are in America and others in Europe. In the exploration of arts they have been dispersed and some of them being permanently dispersed never to return to their original countries of birth.
This has led to emigration and permanent residence in other countries of the world, especially western countries where their arts are recognised and pay well in monetary terms. This deprives Japan of its finest artists and transferred them to other countries in the name of globalisation.
The issue of cultural diffusion is also another result of globalisation (Befu and Sylvier, 2001, p.13). Some of the old-fashioned artist sees this as a negative influence to the art of painting in Japan. Some of the artists who still embrace the old ways of painting in Japan find it hard to accept the new globalised painting because their aim in painting was not money as the modern artists have come to define the work of painting (Pieterse, 2003, p.89). They see culture values eroding away with globalisation, and so does the art of painting. The importance of art has been diluted and now it is more directed to monetary gains rather than expression of the issues that affect community and culture like the ancient days.
These critics of globalisation in culture have a point. Their point of view is that not all aspects of globalisation are beneficial to the aspects of culture in today’s world. They see Japan as suffering from the influence of globalisation of its art, and especially painting, as it has led not only to the diffusion of its social culture but also the scattering of its citizens who have moved to other places of the world and thus, it is loosing its professional artists to other places (Pieterse, 2003, p. 89).
The monetisation of the art is also another setback in the world of art. There is the need for the artists to go back to the to the original purpose of painting and avoid diluting the aspect of art for the sake of popularity and for monetary terms (Nelson and Richard, 2003, p.81). This is a motivation for the artists to avoid being disillusioned by the western culture of commercialising everything and as a result they dilute the meaning of art and its importance (Tomlinson, 2003, p.67).
Conclusion
Globalisation is a continuous phenomenon which has two sides, the positive or the beneficial side and the negative that is detrimental to culture. In the world of painting we have the benefits of globalisation which has seen the Japanese artists have an international recognition and have also influenced the world, in the way they incorporate the aspect of culture in their painting in expression of their views and opinions in the community. However, there is a negative side of globalisation and If the artists in Japan and other parts of the world are not careful to observe they may end up loosing the importance of the artistic expression in painting. These are the two main ways that globalisation has influenced the art of painting in Japan.
Critics see globalisation as detrimental and they see the overall benefit of globalisation of little value compared to the negative impact it brings to Japan’s art. They are cautioning the artists on being carried away by the commercial painting as opposed to the real purpose of painting, which might cause Japan its finest artists who go and settle in other parts of the world and this deprives Japan its manpower and its heritage, as the arts from its people are commercialised in other parts of world, either in museums or homes.
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