The Sickness unto Beauty–Self-portrait as Actress

Yokohama: Yokohama Museum of Art, 1996. First edition. Softcover. Near fine condition. Large Quarto. 181 (4)pp. Original photo-illustrated wraps, black lettering on spine, in photo-illustrated gray dustjacket with red lettering on spine with photo-illustrated Obi, red lettering on spine. Gray endpapers. Photographic double page frontispiece. Half-title printed in red, title page in black. Catalog published in conjunction with the exhibition at the Yokohama Museum of Art, presenting the new works of Yasumasa Morimura, an artist who occupies an important place in the Museum's contemporary collections.

"The Actresses series by Yasumasa Morimura brutally exposes the position, attitude, or stance we assume when we see this boy of work. The viewer's one-sided "gaze," inflicted upon the women Morimura has impersonated, is repelled and hurled back to the viewer as the pointed question: Who are you?" and "What is your position?" (Kaori Chino). Profusely illustrated with full page color portrait photographs of Morimura impersonating actresses as Marilyn Monroe, Jan Fonda, Faye Dunaway and others as well as himself. Various text contributions at rear. Text in Japanese and English. Minor wear.