A Japanese Celebration of Death

Skull by Spencer Higgins, 2007

For those of our readers who find themselves in Yokohama in the near future… this may rock your coffin.

“The phenomenon described as goth / gothic exists in various cultural fields including music, fashion, movies and literatures. It originally referred to a style of art in Europe in the Middle Ages, however, today it functions as a term indicative of a certain lifestyle. Body modifications, such as tattooing or piercing, and a focus upon death and illness are not merely a matter of taste, but instead are an expression of the self trying to stand up against a conservative world…”

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“…The (Goth: Reality of the Departed World) exhibition introduces goth / gothic in contemporary art through approximately 250 works, including sculpture, painting, video, and photography by 6 internationally active artists. Works by these highly respected artists will provide us with the opportunity to think afresh about the nature of goth / gothic, which resonates especially with a young generation.”

It is worth noting that the exhibition features the work of Australian wood sculptor Ricky Swallow, via his piece Younger than Yesterday (2006)

Goth: Reality of the Departed World is currently showing at the Yokohama Museum of Art