The Art of Money: Wakaki Kurumi's Deconstruction of the Yen
Date
2025
Authors
Loten, Seraphina
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University Of Victoria
Abstract
All forms of currency act as a symbol of power. The interrogation of this symbol is critical to the evaluation of human values as capitalism advances in the modern era. Kyoto based contemporary artist, Wakaki Kurumi, explores the relationship between currency and identity through her banknote artworks which combine performance and printmaking. Despite visual parallels to the work of the influential Genpai Akasegawa, the banknote works of these artists were met with contrasting reception. Exploring Akasegawa’s “Model 1000 Yen Note Incident” (1063-1974), this research utilizes comparative analysis to investigate the impact of Kurumi’s “Yen” (2023) despite her non-political position as an artist as well as the utility of performance art as a political medium.
Description
Keywords
Japan, contemporary, performance-art, printmaking, currency, capitalism