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The Wonder of Money

ふしぎなお金

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What on earth is money? Akasegawa Genpei, who made a huge impact on the history of contemporary Japanese art with the “1,000 Yen Bill Trial,” ponders the true nature of money.

Commentary by Yamaguchi Akira Wallets are like guns or swords. They are used for self-defense and also serve as a source of authority. Wallets are not tools for killing people, but “people kill others for money, people hang themselves for money, and money still harbors the hidden light of a murder weapon.” What on earth is money? Akasegawa Genpei, who made a huge impact on the history of contemporary Japanese art with the “1,000 Yen Note Trial,” ponders the true nature of money.

Akasegawa Genpei

Akasegawa Genpei was a pseudonym of Japanese artist Akasegawa Katsuhiko (赤瀬川克彦), born March 27, 1937 in Yokohama. He used another pseudonym, Otsuji Katsuhiko (尾辻克彦), for literary works. A member of the influential artist groups Neo-Dada Organizers and Hi-Red Center, Akasegawa went on to maintain a multi-disciplinary practice throughout his career as an individual artist. In 1986, Akasegawa and his collaborators, Terunobu Fujimori and Shinbo Minami, to announce the formation of a new group: Street Observation Society; In 1994, the Leica Alliance with contemporary artist Akiyama Yūtokutaishi and photographer Takanashi Yutaka; and in 1996, the Japan Art Support Group with art researcher Yamashita Yuji. He has had retrospective exhibitions at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Chiba City Museum, and Oita City Museum. His work is in the permanent collection at Museum of Modern Art in New York. Artist Nam June Paik has described Akasegawa as “one of those unexportable geniuses of Japan.” He pass away on October 26, 2014, at the age of 77.

Kim Nan-Ju

Graduated from Kyung Hee University’s Department of Korean Language and Literature, and received a master’s degree in modern Japanese literature from Showa Women’s University in Japan. Currently working as a translator specializing in Japanese literature. Books she has translated include Between Coolness and Passion: Rosso, Kitchen, The Doctor’s Beloved Formulas, The Tale of Genji, I Am a Cat, Voyage Through Stars, The Newcomer, etc.

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