Admission fee free

From the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, so many world expo and colonial expositions were held around the world that it could be called the “era of expositions.” The exposition functioned as a place to gain new world recognition through the industrial products exhibited, and made the public fantasize about a bright future, but the exposition hall recreates settlements in colonies and non-Western countries and shows the state of their lives. An exhibition was also being held. Even in Japan, which set sail as an imperialist country at the end of the 19th century, a “human exhibition” facility called the “Museum of Academic Humanity” was built by a private contractor at the 5th National Industrial Exposition in 1903, following the Western Exposition, Similar exhibitions were held at subsequent exhibitions. These can be said to be exhibitions relating to the boundaries of “Japanese people” in the era when Japan expanded its territory to East Asia. In this exhibition, hundreds of materials related to the exposition and the “human exhibition” are exhibited, centering on the private collection of curator Masashi Ohara, and are connected to the present day, such as globalism, racism, and colonialism Explore various issues.

●Gallery tours
Lecturer: Masashi Ohara (curator of this exhibition)
About 40 minutes from 17:00 on 10/22 (Sat), 23 (Sun), 11/5 (Sat), and 6 (Sun)
Naha Culture and Arts Theater Nahato Small Studio
Free*Application required, First-come-first-served basis, capacity 15 people

Organizer: Naha City
Planning and production: Naha Culture and Arts Theater Nahato
Curated by Masashi Ohara

Ohara Masashi (Kohara Masashi)
Born in 1978 in Aichi prefecture. Curator, filmmaker, and associate professor at Tokyo Polytechnic University. After graduating from Waseda University, he completed the master's program at Tama Art University Graduate School. Single and co-authored works include “Fuji Genkei — Modern Japan and Fuji's Disease,” “Hanging in the Air of Time - Life, Photographs, and Death,” “War and Peace — Japan Not Told by Press Photos,” and “Forest Detective — Nature in Japan Captured by Unmanned Cameras.” He directed the documentary film “The Man Who Became a Camera — Photographer Takuma Nakahira.” After being in charge of the Araki Nobuyoshi Exhibition, Miyazaki Manabu Exhibition, Kojima Ichiro Exhibition, Masuyama Tazuko Exhibition, “War and Peace” exhibition, Sawada Kyoichi exhibition, etc. as a researcher at the IZU PHOTO MUSEUM, he became free. Other exhibitions include the “It's a Small World: Imperial Festival and Human Exhibitions” exhibition. He won the Shigemori Kouji Photo Critic Award, the “Photo Association” Award, and the Japan Photographers Association Award “Curatorial Award”. They also serve as judges for photography awards and guest curators for exhibitions.

https://www.nahart.jp/stage/imperialfestival/