Keynote lecture by Dr. Laura Hein (The Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Professor of History, Northwestern University)

The lecture will explore how Tomiyama’s art operates both aesthetically and politically as commentary on Asian cultures and histories, as well as on human frailty.  Tomiyama’s complex artworks portray a dense array of images; knowing more about their backstories enhances the pleasure of viewing the work by revealing the thoughtfulness with which she chose and arranged her imagery.

Prof. Laura Hein’s (The Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Professor of History, Northwestern) research period is Japan from the 1920s to the present, that is, Tomiyama Taeko’s lifespan.  Dr. Hein’s work has focused on a variety of Japanese individuals, most of them very impressive people, who were socially active in many ways, from shaping national economic policy to establishing Japan’s first modern art museum.  She also has written on the histories of Okinawa, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Kamakura, and Awaji island, all very different from each other.