{"product_id":"harakiri-school-girls-original-japanese-makoto-aida-exhibition-poster-1999-b1-size-73-103-cm-aa50-copy","title":"“Harakiri School Girls” (Rare Pink Variant), Original Japanese Makoto Aida Exhibition Poster 1999, B1 Size (73 × 103 cm) - Gallery","description":"\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese B1 Makoto Aida exhibition poster from 1999, offered in the rare pink colour variant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Featuring Aida’s celebrated work \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarakiri School Girls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (切腹女子高生 \/ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSeppuku Joshi Kōsei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e), it brings together ukiyo-e, manga, commercial graphics, and the distinctive street fashions of late-1990s Tokyo in one of the artist’s most recognisable compositions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrinted at the large \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJapanese B1 format of approximately 73 × 103 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this version is distinguished by its warm pink ground, coral tones, rich magenta accents, and fully coloured figures. The expansive format gives considerable presence to the intricate drawing, overlapping figures, and deliberately theatrical imagery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtwork background\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMakoto Aida emerged during the 1990s as one of the most provocative figures in Japanese contemporary art. Working across painting, drawing, manga, video, sculpture, and performance, he brings familiar images into unsettling combinations that question \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJapanese identity, historical memory, consumer culture, and the relationship between fine art and popular entertainment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst developed in 1999, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarakiri School Girls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e connects the fashions and attitudes of contemporary Tokyo with imagery drawn from Japan’s historical visual culture. Its school uniforms, dyed hair, checked skirts, loafers, and oversized loose socks identify the figures with the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ekogal and gyaru culture of 1990s Shibuya\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAida associated the work with the decadent atmosphere and distinctive social character of Shibuya’s gyaru scene. This grounding in the fashions of a particular moment is essential to the image: the girls belong unmistakably to contemporary urban Japan, even as their gestures and weapons evoke an entirely different historical world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe composition presents ritual violence through exaggerated expressions, flattened colour, and decorative effects. Its mixture of humour, horror, and visual exuberance leaves the scene deliberately difficult to resolve into a single message.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePoster design\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe composition stages a collision between \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003etraditional Japanese warrior imagery and late-20th-century schoolgirl iconography\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt its centre, a figure raises a curved sword above her head, creating a strong vertical focus around which the other figures are arranged. The compressed space, emphatic black outlines, patterned clothing, calligraphic panels, and densely interwoven poses recall the theatrical construction of Japanese woodblock prints.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003erare pink variant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, dusty rose and mauve tones extend across the background, while peach, ochre, burgundy, and dark blue distinguish the clothing and figures. Brilliant pink and red accents give the image an almost fluorescent intensity. A rainbow at upper left and a small cat beside the title introduce incongruously playful details into the surrounding scene.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe warm colour scheme gives this version a particularly enveloping visual character, carrying the pink palette throughout the composition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt upper right, the Japanese title appears as:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e「切腹女子高生」\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Harakiri School Girls”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe title is read as:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Seppuku Joshi Kōsei”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt lower right, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“HARAKIRI School Girls”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e appears in slanted, dimensional lettering, recalling the energetic typography of arcade games and commercial entertainment graphics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe upper-left \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAIDA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e device presents the artist’s name as a stylised brand logo. Immediately beneath it, the printed copyright line reads:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“©1999 Makoto AIDA, All Rights Reserved.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt lower left, the calligraphic inscription and red seal imitate the presentation of an artist’s signature on a traditional Japanese print. The inscription includes \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e「画狂人」\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, meaning \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“picture-mad man”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, an epithet associated with Hokusai that adds another irreverent reference to the history of Japanese image-making.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe lower margin also carries the printed credit:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“DESIGN: UJINO Muneteru”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis identifies \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUjino Muneteru (宇治野宗輝)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e as the poster’s designer, an important detail in the work’s combination of Aida’s imagery with a distinctive graphic identity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCultural significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarakiri School Girls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e encapsulates the collision of historical imagery, popular entertainment, and contemporary social observation that makes Aida’s work so distinctive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe juxtaposition invites a reading that connects the theatrical treatment of historical violence with the equally constructed imagery of youth culture. School uniforms, samurai swords, commercial logos, and traditional calligraphy become parts of the same unstable visual world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts appeal also lies in its specificity to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003elate-1990s Japan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The clothing and styling preserve a recognisable moment in Tokyo street culture, while the treatment of that imagery transforms it into something more ambiguous and confrontational.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAida subsequently returned to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarakiri School Girls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in other formats, including works incorporating holographic film. The image’s continued development underlines its importance within his wider practice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal 1999 poster in the rare pink colour variant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this B1 combines the impact of a major Aida image with the appeal of an unusual colourway and a substantial display format.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExcellent+.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e The poster presents beautifully, retaining vivid colour, crisp printed detail, and excellent overall graphic impact. Minor handling wear and gentle undulation are visible, together with light age-related toning and a few faint scattered spots, most apparent on the reverse. The image remains exceptionally strong and well presented. Please review the photographs—they show the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese B1 exhibition poster produced in 1999, in the rare pink colour variant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enot a reproduction or a modern reprint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e27 years old\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57474690744698,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/man-looking-at-an-art-gallery-wall_53_539d19c5-d799-4f1e-a130-30454d9f34c8.jpg?v=1793137916","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/harakiri-school-girls-original-japanese-makoto-aida-exhibition-poster-1999-b1-size-73-103-cm-aa50-copy","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}