Twilight of the Turbulent Gods

Long known for photographs in which he transforms himself into Western culture's feminine icons — from Mona Lisa to Marilyn Monroe — Yasumasa Morimura decided two years ago it was time to tackle the male "realm of politics and war."

His second batch of celebrated 20th-century soapbox shouters, "Twilight of the Turbulent Gods," has now hit Shugoarts in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Tokyo, and it includes 16 videos and photographs in which the artist channels the identities of Hitler (right, detail), Che Guevara, Lenin, Einstein and others.

In one video work, a mustachioed Morimura playing Charlie Chaplin playing Hitler runs through a diatribe animated with an impossibly contorted face and flying spittle. It's nonsensical, peppered with references to kintama (testicles) and doitsu (which can mean "who" or "Germany"), both of which sound German and inspire laughter in prepubescent boys.