Tuesday, January 6, 2009

SS 2009 Course: Women in Japan: Not Just a Geisha

Course 114
Date: Thursday 22 & Friday 23 January
Time: 9.15 am
Full Price: R108,00 Staff: R54,00 Reduced: R27,00

Women in Japan: Not Just a Geisha
Presented by Suzanne Perrin,
visiting lecturer, Brighton University of Art, United Kingdom

The popular image of a Japanese woman is that of the Geisha, or professional entertainer, encapsulating the ideals of beauty, culture and intelligence packaged like a perfect porcelain doll for the entertainment of men. But these women formed only a tiny percentage of educated females from the 18th to the 20th centuries and there were periods in history when Japanese women had significant rights and influence.This two-lecture course will explore the cultural stereotypes of women in Japan as depicted in prints and paintings from the 6th century to the present. It will contrast images portraying the traditional conformity of women with the reality and complexity of women’s roles in history. It will demonstrate how modern women reject the stereotypes of the past, seeking instead to shape new and independent lives, with a voice, and choice, in the evolving global market.

LECTURE TITLES

  1. Empress to entertainer.
  2. Workhouse to fashion house.

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