W HOTELS

An exclusive exhibit celebrating the style and command of the female form curated by The Fashion Institute Of Technology, Karen Santry

IN THE NEWS

Karen Santry's current work involves life size oil paintings of Japanese Kabuki actors on rosewood cutouts that function as larger than life-size installations. She recently received permission from the Japanese Government to paint the Kabuki in this highly realistic style as the Kabuki subject matter is considered one of the countrys national treasures.

女形とは

歌舞伎の舞台では、その三百余年の伝統にしたがって女役をすべて男が演じる。これを女形という。女形という言葉には二つの意味があって、第一には男が女を演じる演技の総体といい、第二にそれを専門の業とする俳優をいう。

THE GRAND KABUKIMONO SERIES

Created around the year 1600, the history of Kabuki is as long as that of the united states and just as multifaceted. While it barely scratches the surface, the brief description of the history of Kabuki that follows will attempt to give a general overview.

New Gallery

prev / next

Back to KABUKI NEWS

SHIBARAKU

EMPEROR IRUKA

YUGIRI KURUWABUNSHO- (Lower Stance)

OSHITSUNE SENBONZAKURA

New Gallery

女形とは

歌舞伎の舞台では、その三百余年の伝統にしたがって女の役をすべて男が演じる。これを女形という。女形という言葉には二つの意味があって、第一には男が女を演じる演技の総体といい、第二にそれを専門の業とする俳優をいう。どちらにしても、男が女を演じて女に見え、あるいは女以上に女らしく見えるということは容易なことではない。そういうことを可能にしたのは、歌舞伎の舞台が虚構としての独特の場(トポス)をつくっているからである。このトポスの中では、男が女に見えるための無数のコードがつくられている。髪、化粧、衣装、小道具から、発声、体の動きまで。たとえば女形は笑った時に袂で顔をかくす。袂に隠された空無。そこに観客のイメージが広がる。あるいは女形が嫉妬に狂った女を演じる時、その怒りは心理描写や表情にあらわれるのではなく、まず髪がくずれ、衣装がかわり、体の動きがかわる。あくまで顔は美しくなければならない。もし顔だけで芝居をしようとすれば、そこには男の顔があらわれるからである。これが女形のコードであり、このコードによって美しい女があらわれる。

KABUKI HISTORY

Okumi, a shrinr maiden from the Izumo Shrine, is credited for dreating the first Kabuki. Her performances in the dry riverbeds of the ancient capital of Kyoto caused a sensation and soon their audience scale increased and a number of rival companies arose. Early kabuki was much different from what is seen today and was comprised mostly of large ensemble dances performed by women. Most of these women acted as prostitutes off stage and finally the government banned women from the stage in an effort to protect public moral, just one in a long history of government restrictions placed on the theater.

This ban on women, though is often seen as good because it necessitated the importance of skill over beauty and put more stress on drama than dance, putting Kabuki on the path to become a dramatic art form. Another development was the appearance of onnagata female role specialists, men who played women.

The last quarter of the 17th century is referred to as the Genroko period and was a time of renaissance in culture of Japanese townspeople. As the main from of theatrical entertainment for commoners, there was a great flowering of creativity in Kabuki. It was during this period that the stylizations that would form the base of Kabuki were created. The playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon and actors like Ichikawa Danjuro and Sakura Tojuro left strong legacies that can still be seen today. It was also during this period that the close relationship between kabuki and the bunraku puppet theater began and the two would continue to grow while influencing each other.

KAREN SANTRY KABUKIMONO BOOK PREVIEW, FEATURING HER LIVE INSTALLATIONS