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A Monthly Culture Matrix For the Cosmopolitan Traveler

Made in Japan: 20th-Century Poster Art

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Poster House / New York / Art

Japan’s transformation through the 20th century—from pre-war patriotism, to the horrors of W.W. II, to its postwar climb to the second-largest economy in the world—was dramatic. The 73 posters presented in this exhibition document the country’s evolving identity through advertisements and art. The show begins in the 1930s and 40s with patriotic propaganda, featuring images of fighter jets, soldiers, and children in traditional dress. Twenty years after the war, advertisements promote the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the 1970 Osaka World Expo. By the 70s, bold collages of the Monkees and the Beatles pop up, emphasizing Japan’s increased involvement with the western world. Artists on view include Yusuka Kamekaru, Ikko Tanaka, and Tadanori Yokoo. —P.P.

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Poster House 119 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
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