MORIMURA Yasumasa
MORIMURA Yasumasa 森村 泰昌 (1951-) Osaka. Best known for self-portraits of himself dressed as various famous actresses in famous movie scenes. As Jodie Foster in Taxi, Vivien Leigh, Liza Minelli in Cabaret, Marilyn Monroe in the Seven-Year Itch (with fake, strapped-on breasts), etc.
He also has self portraits of himself in famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa. Beautiful yet funny. He has made female impersonation a fine art, like a kabuki onnagata actor playing female roles.
Graduated from Kyoto City University of Art. Gained recognition from the late 1980s. Based in Osaka.
Exhibitions Exhibition review by Monty DiPietro
Sample photos http://www.assemblylanguage.com/images/Morimura.html
http://www.artnet.com/artist/12094/yasumasa-morimura.html
Official site: http://www.morimura-ya.com
a Story of M's self-portraits - 女優家Ｍの物語
Reviewed on: 2001.06.27
Last modified: 2005-04-03
B/W self-portraits of himself dressed up as a famous actress.
普段こういう写真を見ると気持ち悪くなるか笑っちゃうけど、森村さんの場合は芸術。
Published: 2001.6.1 Publisher: Asahi Shimbun ISBN: 4022576316 Price in Japan: ¥2,835 Qualities: Soft cover, B/W photos Size: B5, 119 pp. Language: Japanese and some English
The photographer is famous for his self portraits showing himself as a famous Japanese or non-Japanese actress usually in a setting that looks like a memorable scene in a movie. He is an actress impersonator and has made it a fine art.
The book has 93 such portraits showing himself to be female stars such as Jodie Foster (in "Taxi Driver"), Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Liza Minneli, Madonna, Brigette Bardot, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, and Greta Garbo.
Celebrity impersonation has always been entertaining. The element of amusement is definitely present in his self portraits. But since he's a man trying to look like a woman, the results can also be absurd or pretty gross. He's no ordinary impersonator. It's a serious endeavor for him and he has been exhibited in major art museums. Without all those cosmetics and costumes, he's quite an ordinary guy.