there's a kind of comfort in the so called iconic image one that hasn't changed over the course of time with the exception of some natural wear and tear which is why the three decade career of the Japanese conceptual photographer yessuh massa Laurie Mara is so captivating his practice embodies the people and the pictures we know best from time-tested self-portraits by Vincent van Gogh and Frida Kahlo to Edouard Manet is famous reclining nude olympia mori mirage shape-shifting uproots that comfort instills in classic images commands that we challenge what we think we know about the south and essentially writes japanese identity into the Western dominated art historical timeline to coincide with Morrie Murray's exhibition entitled ego obscura at the Japan Society in New York City we're taking a closer look at this elusive art star this is several circles it was at the 51st Venice Biennale in 1988 the Gaston masamori Mara introduced his face to the world he invited other people of other time periods ages and genders in his chromogenic prints and photographs and he ascended to international recognition from the profundity of his approach Morrie Murray's practice is all about identity and authenticity more specifically confronting our rather homogenized perceptions of these grandiose concepts that we generally consider fixed acting is a complete chameleon Maury Mara offers up a body of work in which his face his most important artistic tool is faintly recognizable but he's never himself on the flip side he muddles the identity of the people staring back at the viewer Frida Kahlo isn't Frida Kahlo Rembrandt is no longer Rembrandt Warhol isn't really Warhol to better understand what prompted more Amira's vision we have to rewind to his formative years born in Osaka and 1951 he came of age in the immediate aftermath of World War two the San Francisco peace treaty which ended the war was signed in the same year he was born he subsequently grew up in an era of economic strength for Japan the 80s in particular facilitated increased Japanese interest in collecting European art impressionist art in particular which in turn prompted a rising global interest in Japanese art so fast forwards in 1988 when Maury Murrow emerges on the scene at the Venice Biennale otherwise known as the art world Olympics and his work was received eerily only three years before thenali muy America's first photographic intervention styling himself as Vincent van Gogh's harrowing self-portrait with bandaged ear and pipe from 1889 now more amorous choice to embark on this journey of the self with Van Gogh as his point of origin was fitting van Gogh was inspired by traditional Japanese woodblock prints and his work was received with reverence in Japan where Impressionism and post-impressionism were favored styles of painting but more Americas also communicated compassion for Van Gogh's tormented search for his true self and endeavors so taxing that it famously led the Dutch artists to self-mutilation and suicide the irony is that Van Gogh was the paradigm of artistic success in Japan so by posing as the most desirable artist in Western history Mori Murrah not only showcased his empathy for a like-minded man but he also placed himself as a Japanese artist only art history continuum that had really ignore in Japanese art until the post-war era from there Moorea Moorea made an entire career out of meticulously staging himself as artists and subjects from history the early Netherlandish painter at young Van Eyck Leonardo da Vinci both David and Goliath after carvalho Spanish portrayal of the notorious biblical tale Edouard Manet's alluring Olympia who more and more opposed as twice once in 1988 and which is clearly embodying a classical European one and again in 2018 wearing a distinctively Japanese headdress in 2016 the artists revisited each of his old master portrayals and a project called ego symposium by which he created accompanying dialogues and thought processes as each subject Maura Moreau once said in an interview quote self-portraits do not gratify a desire on my part for self presentation or self-promotion nor are they meant to be humorous or laughable self portraiture provides a history-making tool guided by the creative measures of one's own self unquote so much of moyers process is also about power the power to reshape the historical epic this aspect of memories photography was also applied to pop culture figures like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn actresses in particular who were very much the subject of the male gaze and who became popular in post where Japanese culture in his Requiem series from 2006 the artist pivoted to embodied political leaders like Che Guevara Adolf Hitler Vladimir Lenin and these later series really shatter the limits of Moyers approach he completely defies gender and sexuality as Hollywood's leading ladies and then he shifts to deceptively personify select man who completely changed the course of history until January 13th 2019 the Japan Society aggregates some of more Amara's most exemplary portraits for his first New York City solo exhibition titled eagle obscura the show includes iterations of self-portraits by the old masters photographs in which he stages himself as post-war pop culture and political figures and to video works the American premiere of Moya Mars first full-length video called ego symposium as well as his most recent installation entitled eagle obscura from 2018 in its entirety the exhibition is a theatrical presentation that commands viewers regardless of age nationality or culture to join MoMA and his lifelong search to better understand what is I thanks for watching several circles and please subscribe for more videos on historic modern and contemporary artists from around the world