While proponents of contemporary Japanese art do not seem quite as preoccupied with attempts to shock as their Western counterparts, for curators and creators with an eye on finding fame and fortune overseas, courting controversy can seem almost like an obligation.
But for a nation whose artists typically do "cute" and "quirky" far better than "disturbing" or "outrageous," attempts at being provocative often prove strained.
So is the case at "Nihonga Painting: Six Provocative Artists," the show currently at the Yokohama Museum of Art. The exhibition is effectively a followup to March's much-hyped "MOT Annual 2006: No Border -- From Nihonga to Nihonga" show at Tokyo's Museum of Contemporary Art, which presented seven upcoming artists who were supposedly seeking to channel, confront or subvert the restrictions of traditional Japanese painting.