Bruce Yonemoto's 'ENKA!' Exhibition Reimagines Political Karaoke at JACCC
The exhibition 'ENKA!' by Bruce Yonemoto was showcased at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) in Los Angeles from February 26 to April 2, delving into the political origins of enka music. This genre, which began in Meiji-era Japan, transformed into emotional ballads. Building upon his 2015 exhibit at Taipei's Hong-Gah Museum, where artists reinterpreted the lyrics of 'Mother, Please Take Care of Yourself' (1960) to reflect modern themes, Yonemoto worked with creators from both sides of the Pacific. The JACCC presentation included a new piece by Koki Tanaka, alluding to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald Trump, along with performances and a display of vintage 78-rpm records featuring videos in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Japanese.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'ENKA!' by Bruce Yonemoto at JACCC in Los Angeles from 26 February to 2 April
- Enka genre originated in Meiji-period Japan to circumvent censorship of political dissent
- Collaboration with artists from both sides of the Pacific to reimagine enka
- Original installation from 2015 at Hong-Gah Museum in Taipei with artists Yin-Ju Chen, James T. Hong, Huang Dawang, Teng Chao-Ming
- Lyrics rewritten for 'Mother, Please Take Care of Yourself' (1960) to reflect current issues like China-Taiwan tensions
- New song by Koki Tanaka adapted from 'Karajishi Botan', a 1960s hit popularized by Takakura Ken
- Tanaka's lyrics comment on Japanese and US relations, referencing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald Trump
- Videos feature performances by Betty Apple, Taro Hattori, Ray Hsu, Kaz Oshiro, Yu Cheng-Ta, Huang Dawang in karaoke style
Entities
Artists
- Bruce Yonemoto
- Yin-Ju Chen
- James T. Hong
- Huang Dawang
- Teng Chao-Ming
- Koki Tanaka
- Betty Apple
- Taro Hattori
- Ray Hsu
- Kaz Oshiro
- Yu Cheng-Ta
- Takakura Ken
- Shinzo Abe
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC)
- Hong-Gah Museum
- ArtReview Asia
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Taipei
- Taiwan
- Japan
- China