Before we enter the new future, isn’t there a necessity to reflect on the history of mankind? And if so, how should we do it? Morimura asks, and answers them in the form of self-portraits. Posing as the great figures of the 20th century, he imagines how the last 100 years would look like through their eyes. But it was not as easy as it seemed to be. It was not enough to just imitate their appearance. To understand what they may have really thought about our era, Morimura also had to know what had happened in their times as deeply as though he had lived it himself.

“Marilyn” Morimura impersonated Marilyn Monroe for a performance he staged at a lecture hall in Tokyo University. Before that, he had once dressed up as Yukio Mishima, a famous writer/activist, and imitated Mishima’s performace at the very same lecture hall in the university. Against the “Japanese” and “male” qualities Mishima epitomized, Marilyn stood in contrast for being “American” and “female”.

detail of the face of white dressed Marilyn

detail of the face of black dressed Marilyn

detail of the white matt

Artwork is framed　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　detail of the white shining frame