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One sheet 1966
silkscreen poster titled The Aesthetics of End, designed by the Japanese graphic artist Tadanori Yokoo for an essay series by the acclaimed author Yukio Mishima.
The poster is renowned for its psychedelic style and blend of traditional Japanese art with American pop culture imagery. It incorporates significant symbolism relating to Mishima's work and life:
Yukio Mishima's Portrait: A photograph of the muscular author appears in the upper left.
Symbolic Imagery: The design features classic Japanese elements like the "rising sun" motif in the background and ukiyo-e-style waves at the bottom.
Western Influence: A forward-facing black steam locomotive (specifically the C62 39 model seen on its front plate) and a pin-up girl figure inject Western popular culture references.
Literary Allusions: The half-naked woman at the upper right, expressing breast milk, alludes to a scene in Mishima's 1956 novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
Themes: The artwork explores recurring themes in Mishima's writing, such as sex, death, and an idiosyncratic nationalism. |
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