Caroline Ha Thuc's Field Study Maps Japan's Contemporary Art Scene

Caroline Ha Thuc's book 'Nouvel art contemporain japonais' (Scala) offers a thematic field survey of Japan's contemporary art scene, often misunderstood in the West. It moves beyond clichés like Takashi Murakami and Superflat, which gained international recognition in the 1980s, to focus on artists born in the 1970s who are reshaping Japan's cultural identity. The author highlights dichotomies such as interior/exterior, tradition/modernity, and presence/absence, and notes that Japanese artists are valued for technical skill but seen as artisans rather than artists—a perception they are gradually changing. The book connects traditions, beliefs, history, and philosophy to explain how Japanese art 'walks at the intersection of the ordinary and the extraordinary.' Julie Crenn reviewed the publication.