'Vagina artist' Megumi Igarashi continues her battle with Japan's definition of obscenity
Artist Megumi Igarashi had never imagined battling investigative authorities over freedom of expression until they claimed she had committed crimes with her works of art. Igarashi, known by her pseudonym Rokudenashiko, which literally means "good-for-nothing girl," is noted for vagina-themed art, including "Vagina Boat," a ...
The vagina on trial: more absurd than obscene
Though the obscenity trial of the artist known as Rokudenashiko — real name Megumi Igarashi — ended earlier this month with a conviction on one of her charges, we haven't heard the last of her. She plans to appeal the verdict, which is good ...
Tokyo prosecutors seek fine in trial against 'vagina artist' Megumi Igarashi
Prosecutors asked the Tokyo District Court on Monday to levy a fine of ¥800,000 against an artist charged with obscenity for distributing 3-D scans of her own genitals. Megumi Igarashi, 43, who works under the pseudonym Rokudenashi-ko (Good-for-nothing Girl), maintained her innocence on the charges ...
Vagina artist pleads not guilty to obscenity charge
Taking the stand on the first day of her trial, Megumi Igarashi said she is fighting the charge to challenge the widely held belief in Japanese society that female genitals are “shameful.”
Obscenity arrest may be hiding dirty politics
What constitutes obscenity in Japan? The term, both legally and morally, has different meanings in Japanese, just as it does in English. In a strictly legal sense, the Japanese word for obscenity, waisetsu, refers to something that maliciously stimulates sexual desire in an inappropriate ...
Ah, vaginas! In defense of taboos
Two words have been let loose on society by an artist who, for better or worse, may find the rest of her life and career inextricably bound up with them, "vagina" being one and "taboo" the other. The artist herself needs no introduction. She ...
The v-word doesn't always mean victory
If you are easily offended, please don't read this column because it's about obscenity laws in Japan and that in itself may be obscene. If my editor will let me, we'll even put up a possibly obscene image! (Don't worry, I won't — Ed.) If ...
Art vs. morals debate plays out in the press
In her semiautobiographical feature film "Who's Afraid of Vagina Wolf?," Anna Margarita Albelo plays a struggling film director who makes ends meet by screening her movies in art galleries where she shows up dressed as a vagina. Though the story is mainly about relationships, ...
Vagina artist wins release, urges public to challenge taboos
An artist arrested for distributing 3-D data of her vagina online urged the public to outgrow the perception that female genitalia are taboo or shameful, after being released from police custody on Friday. "I believe this arrest was completely unjust and unreasonable," said Megumi Igarashi, ...
More than 17,000 sign petition for genitalia artist under arrest
Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that police free a Tokyo artist arrested on obscenity charges for distributing data that allowed recipients to make 3-D models of her vagina. In the two days following the arrest of Megumi Igarashi, 42, the online petition ...
