Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers
Join us at M+ Cinema for a screening of ‘Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers’, a documentary that traces the emergence and evolution of the avant-garde art movement in Japan.
Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers traces the emergence and evolution of the avant-garde art movement in Japan, rooted in the sociopolitical turbulence and profound trauma of World War II. The film reveals how artists across various disciplines transformed their pain into expressive and rebellious creativity, breaking free from conservative societal constraints.
This electrifying documentary highlights the contributions of experimental photographers such as Daidō Moriyama, Eikoh Hosoe, and Nobuyoshi Araki, whose urgent and confronting images reflect the complexities of post-war Japanese identity. The film also explores the emergence of Butoh, a ‘dance of darkness’ pioneered by Hijikata Tatsumi and Kazuo Ohno, and how performance art groups like Hi-Red Center challenged societal norms through daring interventions on the city streets. It spotlights theatre-maker Shūji Terayama’s surreal, erotically charged underground performances, as well as the psychedelic creations of graphic designer Yokoo Tadanori.
Presented ahead of the Asian Avant-Garde Film Festival 2025 at M+, Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers celebrates the relentless, transformative creativity of these artists and more, whose legacies continue to inspire the development of contemporary visual culture globally.
The screening will be introduced with a talk by M+ Curator of Moving Image, Ulanda Blair. This talk will be held in English.
M+ Members and Patrons are entitled to priority booking and a 20% discount on screening tickets. Terms and conditions apply.