Series Rika Nakashima New Book of the Dead Part Three
Through the Yamagami trial and the artist's projects, the article critiques Japan's politics, religion, and concepts of life and death.Summary
The article follows the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the assassin of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, while reflecting on the author Rika Nakashima’s art practice, especially her project space “Datsuijo – (a) place to be naked.” It links the trial’s timing to the demolition of the Datsuijo building, the debate over Abe’s state funeral, and the broader issues of the Unification Church’s influence and cult‑related abuse. The author records courtroom observations, noting how the proceedings resemble theatrical performance, and connects them to cultural references such as the song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Misérables and its use in global protest movements. She also discusses her own installations, including the work “□Erase” that incorporates broken pottery from the Unification Church, arguing that contemporary art can function as a ritualistic response to death, memory, and capitalist‑driven cult dynamics. Ultimately, the piece argues that art serves as a critical platform to interrogate Japan’s political‑religious entanglements and evolving notions of mortality.
(Source：ART iT)