Aichi Triennale 2019: Taming Y/Our Passion

iolent threats, media sensationalism, political interference into a cultural event—the controversy around the closure of a small exhibition, “After ‘Freedom of Expression?’,” about artworks previously censored in Japan, within 72 hours of the opening of Aichi Triennale 2019, immediately overshadowed the rest of the festival. Though the central target of right-wing ire was Kim Seo-kyung and Kim Eun-sung’s sculpture of a seated comfort woman, (2011), the display featured works discussing many sensitive topics. Based on a historical photograph, Meiro Koizumi’s canvas (2016) shows a seemingly empty interior with six chairs and a low table; the emperor and other figures have been painted over by the artist—a gesture that could be interpreted as disrespectful. Chim↑Pom showed two videos, (2011) and (2015)—censored and uncensored