Jonathan Watkins
Conversation with Jonathan Watkins, former Director, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
Conversation with Jonathan Watkins, former Director, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
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and the struggle between extremes of fantasy and
nightmare, ideal and real take place. But what do you see
as the concerns or overriding themes of an emerging
generation of Japanese artists?
JW: Again, I’m not particularly qualified to talk about it.
But certainly, it is the kind of attitude I like to encounter.
Interestingly, David Elliott was the curator of such a show,
after his experience. I envy him! How rare to have
someone like him from abroad to be the director of a
major museum like Mori Art Museum.
KW: Well, I thought it was quite remarkable. Japan is very
inward-looking and can be overly protective. And to have
him as a director, I think he was there for 5 years?
JW: Yes, I think he had a 5-year contract and well, it could
be said that Japan has reverted to type, foreign influence
is excluded and now we have more homogeneity within
such an institution. Let me just read what everybody is
saying here, “big generation of suicide, Hikikomori.” what
is that? And Otaku, I know.
KW: Hikikomori, is acute social withdrawal.
JW: It is very interesting what is happening. Japan is
rather dysfunctional nowadays, especially concerning
young men. The neat idea of the salaryman, who gets up
in a dormitory suburb, gets on to the train, and goes to
town to work, is being increasingly challenged.
KW: If we look at the younger generation of the artists,
some you may have met, or have come into contact with