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Lot Essay
Masami Teraoka is noted for expressing his views about social realities and issues through compositional humour and tongue in-cheek storytelling. In Venice Nude Beach/Self-Portrait (Lot 462), he artistically voices his attitude toward sexual libertinism through the depiction of an immaculately dressed man, who attempts to disguise his carnal desires.
The man pictured in the composition is Teraoka himself, swathed in traditional robes, which is telling of how he felt western people viewed him as a Japanese immigrant in Southern California. The figure sits beside the expansive Pacific shoreline; his arms are crossed before him as he scrutinises himself in an antique, wooden mirror, his pose reminiscent of a print of a famous actor. At first glance, the man seems to be scrutinizing his reflection, but closer inspection reveals something else entirely. The man's heavy, thick attire appears out of place at a sandy beach on a warm day in sunny Los Angeles; the subtle movement of his sleeve-rolling recalls the works of Utagawa Kunisada, a noted ukiyo-e woodblock designer, hinting at men's carnal desires. (Fig. 13) In the distance behind the man, are two nude women lounging on the beach. From the angle of the mirror, we suddenly realize that the man is studying the women closely. The man appears to be a traditional gentleman, keeping his alter-ego carefully hidden underneath his conservative appearance— however, his curiosity and carnal urges are only poorly veiled by his attire.
Produced in 1975, the piece was created in a time of sexual liberation—a movement which had overtaken the United States during that time. To Teraoka, 'sex' is human nature and part of a primal urge. While some, such as Teraoka's kimonoed caricature of himself, attempt to camouflage their desire for erotic pleasure, the artist suggests that we cannot simply run away from what it means to be human, just as the man in the piece cannot mask his interest in the naked women. Instead of anathematizing 'sex' and all things carnal, the artist asserts that we should stay open and positive in acknowledging this conventionally taboo topic.
Some artists prefer using a covert or abstract approach to their visual interpretations of sex; Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of flowers, for example, allude to human sexuality. (Fig. 14) However, Teraoka refuses to revisit artistic creations of cloaked abstractionism, instead, hoping to openly express his positive attitude toward 'sexual libertinism' by putting a humourous spin on a creative narrative.
The man pictured in the composition is Teraoka himself, swathed in traditional robes, which is telling of how he felt western people viewed him as a Japanese immigrant in Southern California. The figure sits beside the expansive Pacific shoreline; his arms are crossed before him as he scrutinises himself in an antique, wooden mirror, his pose reminiscent of a print of a famous actor. At first glance, the man seems to be scrutinizing his reflection, but closer inspection reveals something else entirely. The man's heavy, thick attire appears out of place at a sandy beach on a warm day in sunny Los Angeles; the subtle movement of his sleeve-rolling recalls the works of Utagawa Kunisada, a noted ukiyo-e woodblock designer, hinting at men's carnal desires. (Fig. 13) In the distance behind the man, are two nude women lounging on the beach. From the angle of the mirror, we suddenly realize that the man is studying the women closely. The man appears to be a traditional gentleman, keeping his alter-ego carefully hidden underneath his conservative appearance— however, his curiosity and carnal urges are only poorly veiled by his attire.
Produced in 1975, the piece was created in a time of sexual liberation—a movement which had overtaken the United States during that time. To Teraoka, 'sex' is human nature and part of a primal urge. While some, such as Teraoka's kimonoed caricature of himself, attempt to camouflage their desire for erotic pleasure, the artist suggests that we cannot simply run away from what it means to be human, just as the man in the piece cannot mask his interest in the naked women. Instead of anathematizing 'sex' and all things carnal, the artist asserts that we should stay open and positive in acknowledging this conventionally taboo topic.
Some artists prefer using a covert or abstract approach to their visual interpretations of sex; Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of flowers, for example, allude to human sexuality. (Fig. 14) However, Teraoka refuses to revisit artistic creations of cloaked abstractionism, instead, hoping to openly express his positive attitude toward 'sexual libertinism' by putting a humourous spin on a creative narrative.