Contemporary Japanese Sculpture

In contemporary abstract Japanese sculpture, Koplos perceives echoes of the Shinto religion's emphasis on purity and reverence for natural beauty, as well as the Buddhist sense of the interconnectedness of all things. This richly illustrated, intriguing survey showcases an art that fuses Western, international and East Asian influences into uniquely poetic and philosophical statements. Associate editor of Art in America , Koplos first scans the kinetic sculpture, environments and paintings of the 1950s Gutai movement, and the ``innocent'' vision of Mono-ha, Japan's late-'60s version of minimalism. She then profiles more than 90 contemporary sculptors, aided by 128 color and black-and-white reproductions. Highlights include Naomi Kikutani's Moorish-looking variations on the quintessential architectural forms: arch, post and lintel; Hiroshi Egami's installations of free-floating black pebbles; and Takamasa Kuniyasu's delicate brick towers, ``elevated to an almost hysterical pitch, poised between humor and horror.'' (July)