Designed to Disappear

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Europe fell under the spell of Japonisme. The visual language of a country that had only recently opened its doors to the West transformed painting, graphic design, fashion and the decorative arts. More than 150 years later, Japan is once again inspiring a renewed fascination around the world. A glance at today’s social media makes it clear that a new generation has developed an appreciation not only for Japanese pop culture, but also for the country’s everyday aesthetics, craftsmanship and design heritage. One indication of this shift came during Asian Art Week at Christie’s in New York last spring. Under the title Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition, the auction house presented anime, manga, film posters and popular culture within the broader context of Japanese art and design. It marked a significant moment: for perhaps the first time, original Japanese film posters were presented not merely as collectibles, but as cultural artefacts worthy of standing alongside more established forms of Japanese art.