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= Neo-Dada Organizers =

Assembled by Yoshimura Masunobu in 1960 and until 1963. A group of around 10 young avant-garde painters and performers who gathered regularly at Yoshimura’s atelier, the “White House”, in Shinjuku. They called themselves “Neo- Dada Organizers” (soon shorten to Neo-Dada) and announced their radical stances through introducing destructive akushon (action) that deviates from any conventional form of art. Neo-Dada Organizers meant to shock the audience with impulsive, disturbing performances. They used the human body as their medium for art. Their violent performances, aside from having artistic intentions had also responded to the political protests taking place at the time. As youths, The Neo-Dada artists may have joined demonstrations against the security treaty with the United States, but they did not seriously question the American values of abundance and proliferation of manufactured products that were permeating their country. These artists just reacted to situations happening around them, using their reactions as fuel for art and performance.

Brief History
The 1960’s was a time of transformation within the urban space and everyday experience of Tokyo. After WW2 there was a lot of destruction in Japan. Thus many redevelopment projects were planned for the post-war reconstruction of Tokyo. Their aim was to create a modern metropolis that would be able to compete with Western cities. The rapid urbanization happening in Japan at this time led to economic growth and facilitated increased mobility in the region of Tokyo. However, there was a neglect in support of livability in the area. Japan was starting to modernize and change drastically from what it once was.The Tokyo Neo-Dada group was also reacting to the increasing number and tenacity of public policies aimed at regulating the body.

United StatesJapan Security Treaty (Anpo Treaty)
At the beginning of 1960, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Prime Minister Kishi Nobusuke attempted to revise the original 1951 United StatesJapan Security Treaty with a view to obtain an equal status with their Western ally. However, Kishi’s government precipitated the ratification of the renewed treaty, pushing for a “bilateral military responsibility” that, instead of articulating equality, allowed the US military free access to Japan. Kishi’s political maneuver aroused public discontent and led to massive opposition rallies. Tens of thousands of protesters from a broad social spectrum surrounded the Diet building to show their opposition to US hegemony and Kishi’s authoritarian power.

Participants
Yoshimura Masunobu (1932 - 2011)

Akasegawa Genpei

Shusaku Arakawa

Ushio Shinohara

Arakawa Shusaku

Kazakura Sho

Neo-Dada sympathizers (Non members but participated)
Kudo Tetsumi

Nakanishi Natsuyuki

Activity (1960)
April 4 - 10

The first Neo-Dadaism Organizer[s] exhibition was held at Ginza Gallery in Tokyo. Ishibashi Yasuyuki presented his improvisational work Fifteen-Minutes in Waseda Street in the Morning, which reminds the American Neo-Dadaist Robert Rauschenberg’s Automobile Tire Print in 1951. In this work, Ishibashi laid a large sheet of Kent paper on the street and let automobiles run over.

June 18

In memory of the signing of the Anpo Treaty, which signified the failure of the protests, the Neo-Dada Group held shocking performances inside, outside, and on top of Yoshimura’s atelier.

July 1 - 10

The 2nd “Neo-Dada” Exhibition was organized at Yoshimura‘s Atelier in Shinjuku, during which Yoshino Tatsumi ignited his work Danger inside the atelier.

Sept 1-7

The 3rd Neo-Dada exhibition was held at the Hibiya Gallery near Hibiya Park, where Shinohara Ushino slashed a temporary installation in the park. Yoshimura Masunobu wrapped his naked body with the group’s exhibition flyers and walked through the streets of the Ginza, the busiest district in Tokyo. Covered in fragile light bulbs, Masuzawa Kinpei strolled through Hibiya Park, past the luxury Imperial Hotel, and then hopped on and off public transport.

Sept 30

The Bizarre Assembly, the outdoor destructive performance was displayed at Yoshimura’s atelier. Yoshimura, Masuzawa, and Shinohara struck jagged holes into a metal sheet. Shinohara Ushio performed his “boxing painting,” in which he creates a series of blots by hitting a large piece of paper with boxing gloves that had been dipped into a bucket of sumi ink.

Influence
The Neo Dadaism Organizers drew influence from American Neo-Dadaists Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg for their destructive performance pieces. These artists worked during the 1950’s and consciously deviated from abstracted expressionism by exploring the materials and ideas of “the everydayness”