English edition of key essays on Japanese art history 'History of Japanese Art after 1945' is a compilation of essays that surveys the development of art in Japan since WWII. The original Japanese work, which has become essential reading for those with an interest in modern and contemporary Japanese art and is a foundational resource for students and researchers, spans a period of 150 years, from the 1850s to the 2010s. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific period and written by a specialist. The English edition first discusses the formation and evolution of Japanese contemporary art from 1945 to the late 1970s, subsequently deals with the rise of the fine art museum from the late 1970s to the 1990s, and concludes with an overview of contemporary Japanese art dating from the 1990s to the 2010s. These three parts are preceded by a new introduction that contextualizes both the original Japanese and the English editions and introduces the reader to the emergence of the concept of art (bijutsu) in modern Japan. This English-language edition provides valuable reading material that offers a deeper insight into contemporary Japanese art. With an introduction by Kajiya Kenji. English edition of key essays on Japanese art history History of Japanese Art after 1945 surveys the development of art in Japan since WWII. The original Japanese work, which has become essential reading for those with an interest in modern and contemporary Japanese art and is a foundational resource for students and researchers, spans a period of 150 years, from the 1850s to the 2010s. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific period and written by a specialist. The English edition first discusses the formation and evolution of Japanese contemporary art from 1945 to the late 1970s, subsequently deals with the rise of the fine art museum from the late 1970s to the 1990s, and concludes with an overview of contemporary Japanese art dating from the 1990s to the 2010s. These three parts are preceded by a new introduction that contextualizes both the original Japanese and the English editions and introduces the reader to the emergence of the concept of art (bijutsu) in modern Japan. This English-language edition provides valuable reading material that offers a deeper insight into contemporary Japanese art. With an introduction by Kajiya Kenji. Contributors: Kitazawa Noriaki (editor), Mori Hitoshi (editor), Sato Doushin (editor), Tom Kain (translation editor), Alice Kiwako Ashiwa (translator), Kenneth Masaki Shima (translator), Ariel Acosta (translator), and Sara Sumpter (translator) Translated from the original Japanese edition published with Tokyo Bijutsu, 2014 In cooperation with Art Platform Japan / The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan Art Platform Japan is an initiative by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, to maintain the sustainable development of the contemporary art scene in Japan. TRANSLATION CREDITS NOTES ON THE TRANSLATION INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH EDITION KAJIYA KENJI CHAPTER 1. THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY ART [GENDAI BIJUTSU]: 1945 TO THE EARLY 1970S MITSUDA YURI Introduction: The Formation and Evolution of Japanese Contemporary Art Section 1. The Inception of “Contemporary Art”: The 1955 System of Art (1945–54) Section 2. The Era of “Contemporary Art”: Anti-Art (1955–64) Section 3. The Evolution of “Contemporary Art”: Dismantlement and Reincarnation (1965–74) Notes CHAPTER 2. THE AGE OF THE FINE-ART MUSEUM: THE LATE 1970S TO THE 1990S KITAZAWA NORIAKI Introduction: Institutions and Alternatives Section 1. Fine Art’s “Conservative Revolution” and the New Wave: The Mid-1970s to the Early 1990s Section 2. The Rise of Neo-Pop: The “Modern Art” of the 1990s CHAPTER 3. THE END OF “ART”: THE 1990S TO THE 2010S KURESAWA TAKEMI Introduction: After the Postmodern—Art after the 1990s Section 1. Formation of New Spaces [Genba] and Institutions [Seido]—The 1990s Section 2. After “Art”: The 2000s to the 2010s Notes BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEXES