Yasumasa Morimura On Self-Portrait: Through the Looking-Glass

Yasumasa Morimura On Self-Portrait: Through the Looking-Glass

Yasumasa Morimura On Self-Portrait: Through the Looking-Glass

On Self-Portrait - 2007-25 x 20 cm 6 7

On Self-Portrait: Through the Looking-Glass Introduction by Yasumasa Morimura One of my favorite fantasy novels of all times is The Chronicles of Narnia, written by C. S. Lewis. The story is about a group of young British boys and girls who in reality carry on ordinary lives, but they all share a big secret. The secret is that there exists another world called Narnia in which the children are leading a completely different life as princes and princesses, and even the dimmest of the children in real life can go to Narnia to accomplish heroic tasks like saving and ruling the Kingdom of Narnia. Granted I myself am not a resident of Narnia, but I too have my own secret realm similar to Narnia. It is the Kingdom of Art. Just like how the children of The Chronicles of Narnia became princes and princesses, not only can I imagine myself becoming a different person but I actually can turn myself into any existence, whether it be someone from a famous painting, a movie actress, a singer, an animal, or a monster. And I am about to devote at least half of my life to this secret realm of the Kingdom of Art. Self-portrait, to me, is a living experimentation in which I attempt to shift myself into the Kingdom of Art, a secret realm separated and different from the reality. There is a possibility that if the experiment fails I might never make it back to the real world, and this I say from my own experience in the past. It is indeed an experiment full of risks, however, the most dangerous challenges are the most seductive. It is certain that, for the rest of my days, I will never find escape from my own expressions of a self-portrait. 8 9

1 art history through the looking-glass Prologue (Just Before Sleep) - 1997 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 10 11

Portrait (Futago) - 1990-266 x 366 cm 12 13

Absence of a Servant - 1988 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 14 15

Daughter of Art History (Princess B) - 1990-210 x 160 cm Blue Dress at Three in the Afternoon - 1989 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 16 17

Day of Eating a Pomegranate - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Portrait (Pomegranate) - 1991-200 x 100 cm 18 19

Portait (Fan) - 1991-140 x 120 cm Opening a Souvenir Fan - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 20 21

Six Brides - 1991-140 x 120 cm Six Brides (Wearing a Headdress) - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 22 23

Six Brides (Holding a Goblet) - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Six Brides (Holding a Cherry Blossom) - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 24 25

Blinded by the Light - 1991-200 x 363 cm 26 27

Swamped by Bills - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm Wherabouts of a Child - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 28 29

Wherabouts of a Soldier - 1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 30 31

Young Self-Portrait 1-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Young Self-Portrait 2-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 32 33

Young Self-Portrait 3-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Unfinished Self-Portrait - 1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 34 35

Mother - 1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Lover - 1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 36 37

Wife - 1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Later Years - 1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 38 39

Mona Lisa in its Origin Mona Lisa Through the Looking-Glass 1-1998 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 40 41

Mona Lisa Through the Looking-Glass 2 Mona Lisa Through the Looking-Glass 3-1998 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 42 43

Mona Lisa Through the Looking-Glass 4-1998 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 44 45

This is What Judith Said Mother (Judith I) - 1991-240 x 160 cm 46 47

2 actress through the looking-glass Portrait of Marilyn 48 49

Portrait of Marilyn - 1995 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 50 51

White Marilyn Black Marilyn - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 52 53

Audrey Hepburn 2 Audrey Hepburn 1 (Tiffany s) - 1995 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 54 55

Ingrid Bergman 1 Ingrid Bergman 2 (Casablanca) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 56 57

Sophia Loren Liza Minelli (Cabaret) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 58 59

Elizabeth Taylor 1 Elizabeth Taylor 2 (Cleopatra) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 60 61

Elizabeth Taylor 3-1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Elizabeth Taylor 4-1995 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 62 63

Silvia Kristel 1 (Emmanuelle) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Silvia Kristel 2 (Emmanuelle) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 64 65

Silvia Kristel 3 (Emmanuelle) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Silvia Kristel 4 (Emmanuelle) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 66 67

Silvia Kristel 5 ( Silvia Kristel 6 (Emmanuelle) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 68 69

Faye Dunaway 1 (Bonnie and Clyde) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Faye Dunaway 2 (Bonnie and Clyde) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 70 71

Faye Dunaway 3 (Bonny and Clyde) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 8,6 x 10,6 cm Faye Dunaway 4 (Bonny and Clyde) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 72 73

Jane Fonda 2 (Barbarella) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm Jane Fonda 1 (Barbarella) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 74 75

Jane Fonda 3 (Barbarella) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Jane Fonda 4 (Barbarella) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 76 77

Jane Fonda 5 (Barbarella) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Greta Garbo 1-1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 78 79

Greta Garbo 2-1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Greta Garbo 3-1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 80 81

Greta Garbo 4-1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Greta Garbo 5-1995 - Instant Colour Film 8,6 x 10,6 cm 82 83

Catherine Deneuve 1 (Belle de Jour) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Catherine Deneuve 2 (Belle de Jour) - 1995 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 84 85

3 M through the looking-glass Vivien Leigh (Gone With The Wind) - 1995 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 86 87

> M in Black Suits 1-4 - 1997 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 88 89

< M in a Ribbon-Printed Dress 1-4 - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 90 91

> M and a Mannequin in the Looking-Glass 1-4 - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 92 93

> M s Basement 1-8 - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 94 95

M and Sunflower - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M Holding a Cigarette - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M in a White Dress - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M in a China Dress - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 96 97

M Wearing a Military Cap 1-1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M Showing Legs - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M Looking Up - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M Wearing a Military Cap 2-1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 98 99

> M s Garden 1-4 - 1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 100 101

M s Hideout 1-1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm M s Hideout 2-1997 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 102 103

4 Fashion show through the looking-glass 104 105

Singer 1-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Singer 2-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 106 107

Singer 3-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Singer 4-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 108 109

Singer 5-1994 - Instant Colour Film 8,6 x 10,6 cm Singer 6-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 110 111

Bloating Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Swaying Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 112 113

Stretching Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Square Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 114 115

Sheep-like Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Rotating Shape - 1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 116 117

Shape of the Night 1-1996 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Shape of the Night 2-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 118 119

Shape of the Night 3-1994 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 120 121

Dressing Room at Night 1-1996 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm Dressing Room at Night 2-1996 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 122 123

Madame M 1-1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Madame M 2-1991 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 124 125

5 tragedy and comedy through the looking-glass For Frida 1-2001 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 126 127

128 For Frida 2-2001 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm An Inner Dialogue With Frida Kahlo (Will to Live) - 2001-195 x 175 cm 129

For Frida 3-2001 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm For Frida 4-2001 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 130 131

An Inner Dialogue With Frida Kahlo (Dialoque With Myself 2) - 2001-150 x 185 cm 132 133

For Frida 5-2001 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm For Frida 6-2001 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 134 135

136 The Power to Dream (Appear in the Landscape, Disappear in the Landscape) - 2004-280 x 180 cm Marie-Antoinette (Through the Looking-Glass) - 2004 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 137

138 Revolution Through the Looking-Glass - 2004 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm The Power to Dream (Appear in History, Disappear in History) - 2004-280 x 180 cm 139

140 Dedicated to La Duquesa de Alba / Black Alba - 2005-90 x 60 cm Alba Through the Looking-Glass (Black Dress) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 141

142 Alba Through the Looking-Glass (White Dress) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Dedicated to La Duquesa de Alba / White Alba - 2005-90 x 60 cm 143

Comedian (Hanging) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (A Heart) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 144 Fated to Wait for Someone s Death - 2005-80 x 60 cm 145

Comedian (Dance 1) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Dance 2) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Dance 3) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Dance 4) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 146 147 The Drama is Still Going on - 2005-80 x 60 cm

Comedian (Young Woman 1) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (A Hag) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Young Woman 2) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Young Woman 3) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 148 Three Women, Three Minds - 2005-80 x 60 cm 149

Comedian (Flying Alba) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (A Sweep) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Text-messaging) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm Comedian (Covered With a Petticoat) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 150 I am Flying (It is Your Fault if You are Used as a Stepping Stone) - 2005-160 x 120 cm 151

Exchange of Devouring - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 13 x 10 cm 152 The Great Comedian (Man Barking) - 2005-180 x 120 cm 153

A Painter s Atelier (Man Painting) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm A Painter s Atelier (Woman Posing) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 154 155

A Painter s Atelier (Silence) - 2005 - Instant Colour Film 10 x 13 cm 156 Vermeer Study (A Great Story out of the Corner of a Small Room) - 2004-145,5 x 125,5 cm 157

Daydream - 1997 - Instant Black and White Film 13 x 10 cm 158 159

COLOFON Edition: 1500 Text: Design & layout: Reflex edition: Print: Yasumasa Morimura Alex Daniels Edition of 1500, 60 of which have one additional colour photograph and one bronze sculpture both signed and numbered by the artist. Meco Offset BV, Zwaag Special thanks to Yasumasa Morimura, Yoshiko Isshiki, Natsuko Odate, Ria & Lex Daniels and Famous Amsterdam. 160

Laser Proof