sojashin:‘Groups of Girls’ (1997) // Aida Makoto “Two groups of high-school girls - one from the c
sojashin: ‘Groups of Girls’ (1997) // Aida Makoto “Two groups of high-school girls - one from the countryside after an excursion to Tokyo’s Disneyland and the other from Tokyo - congregate on a subway platform. The girls are evenly mixed over the confined pictorial space, creating a rhythmic uniformity. Yet closer inspection reveals remarkable differences in their appearance and behaviour. The country girls in their loose-fitting uniforms and simple coiffures are shown in chaste, child-like postures that embody the innocent aspect of youth. Their city counterparts, on the other hand, are depicted as self-absorbed and savvy creatures, brimming with self-confidene and sexual aggressiveness. The only things the girls have in common is their love for cute comic kyara (characters) such as Hello Kittty and the frog Kero Kero Keroppi, seen here as the background of the painting.” -- source link