Yasumasa Morimura Embodies Art History’s Most Famous Paintings

Since the mid-1980s, the artist Yasumasa Morimura has been pioneering in positing questions of identity and its representation, transforming himself into famous portraits with the use of make-up, costumes and prosthesis. From Van Gogh to Duchamp, as well as Kahlo, he plays the role of iconic works across the history of art.

In transforming himself into these paintings, Morimura strives to embody the character portrayed as much as possible by attempting to emulate the state of mind that the subject might have felt in their time. He strives to reconstruct the works as thoroughly as possible while also establishing a bridge between the West and the East. By embellishing his scenes with Japanese details, such as a kimono or a maneki neko, he calls into question a certain historical truth. This ongoing project finds its strength in the weaving together of art and history.