Artist of the day, March 10-11: Yasumasa Morimura, Japanese appropriation artist

Yasumasa Morimura (森村 泰昌,  1951) is a Japanese appropriation artist. He was born in Osaka and graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 1978. Since 1985, Morimura has primarily shown his work in international solo exhibitions, although he has been involved in various group exhibitions.

Morimura converts himself into familiar subjects with the use of costumes, props, digital manipulation, and make-up. His masterpieces encompass works inspired by influential paintings of such artists as Diego Velásquez (Spanish, 1599–1660) and Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907–1954), and by pictographic sources from the mass media and history.

Morimura's work is specifically effective and forceful as a result of his capacity to both mock and provide homage to his reference materials and subjects. The artist made a string of assorted self-portraits following the art and style of Frida Kahlo in his latest and very expensive reproduction. He was nominated for the Hugo Boss Prize in 1996. The Carnegie Museum of Art (Pittsburgh), the Honolulu Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) are among the public collections holding work by Morimura.

© 2018. All images are copyrighted © by Yasumasa Morimura. The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission from the artist is obtained.

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as himself

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Susi Krautgartner

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as In praise of Velasquez

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Albert Einstein

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as La Duquesa de Alba

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Albert Einstein

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Brigitte Bardot

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Brigitte Bardot

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Ingrid Bergman

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Six brides

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Caravaggio

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Caravaggio

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Che Gevara

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Daughter of Art History (Princess A)

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Salvatore Dali

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Marcel Duchamp

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Durer's Hand is Another Face

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Jodie Foster

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Frida Kahlo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Frida Kahlo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Frida Kahlo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Frida Kahlo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Frida Kahlo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Greta

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Grim Reaper

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Audrey Hepburn

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Audrey Hepburn

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Hitler

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Hitler

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Le Brun on the Witness Stand

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Leonardo

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Magritte

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Mao

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Marilyn

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Marilyn

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Lisa

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Oswald

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Picasso

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Polloxk

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as The Queen

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Remembrance Parade

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Rembrandt

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Elizabeth Taylor

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Vermeer's

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Vermeer's

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Vietnam War

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Andy Warhol

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Andy Warhol

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Courbet Pleasure with a Wounded Heart

Mr Yasumasa Morimura as Van Dyck