Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Art Business
First Advisor
Noah Kupferman
Second Advisor
Betsy Thomas
Abstract
Mythological and folkloric creatures have evolved beyond their traditional contexts to serve as tools through which contemporary artists reinterpret and express colonial memory, cultural experiences, and social anxieties. Both Japan and the Philippines mobilize their folkloric monsters as forms of commentary on modern conditions; however, they do so in distinct ways shaped by their differing cultural histories and belief systems. This study aims to analyze and compare how Japanese and Filipino contemporary artists reinterpret folkloric creatures within modern contexts. Employing a qualitative, comparative cultural analysis alongside a sociohistorical framework, this research investigates the contemporary reinterpretation of mythological creatures in both Japan and the Philippines. A visual analysis is conducted to examine how these figures are mobilized in contemporary art and how they articulate societal anxieties and modern experiences.
Recommended Citation
Asuncion, Mariel Yulo, "From Fear to Familiarity: Folkloric Creatures and Cultural Identity in Contemporary Japanese and Filipino Art" (2026). MA Theses. 295.
https://digitalcommons.sia.edu/stu_theses/295
Included in
Asian Art and Architecture Commons, Contemporary Art Commons, Fine Arts Commons, Japanese Studies Commons, South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons, Television Commons