I will go through a long sequence of transitions that, in time, will help us get rid of cultural hegemony. This is a fact that I know as a person who applies various visual narratives in East Asian artwork, and I have a rich background in visual narrators. My speech is used not only to adjust but to retell the past, ostentatiously going back in time to ask about apartheid’s shadows. Apart from that, I will highlight the phenomenon of stratification and trace the lines of popular culture, describing the ties between power and imposition of ideologies, which might not be so easy to notice at first for the spectators who have no special attention to this kind of thing. An analysis of gender location is also our main area of focus. Here, stakes and debates on values are paramount, and issues concerning social constructions are discussed.
Additionally, having navigated the complex components of cultural hegemony by following our course materials and stories, I aim to give you an in-depth walk through its influential yet devious role in molding our society against our will. Our trip to feed our minds does not feel like blind sailing. While we plan and map out our routes, we know that some of our stops have already been quick draws of the puzzles, and we are still on paths we have yet to see.
Firstly, let’s understand what cultural hegemony is and how it relates to this issue, as Peter Burke stated in his article “Problems in the Writing of Cultural History.” Cultural hegemony is the reign of one particular culture over another, where the dominant group takes control of various cultural elements of the subordinate group. With the aid of the ideologies, norms, and values widely spread as common sense to the masses, this force operates as the means for maintaining the existing power dynamics and related hierarchies. It is a rather visual representation that is one of the strongest tools the hegemony of culture uses to maintain its power and spread itself through the public. Visual narratives are a comprehensive construct referring to art, photography, and films. Over the period, this construct has authenticated itself as a solid tool for formulating ideas and projecting personal and societal norms. To get deeper into this subject, it is necessary to view concrete examples from the East Asian Age of the Rising Sun with its ancient tradition. Our exploration will examine when Imperialism and colonialism prevailed, during which art became a contested social ground for laying the claims of supremacy and resisting subjugation. The book “Chinese Art in the Age of Imperialism,” authored by Julia F. Andrews and Kuiyi Shen, illustrates how the traumatic events of the Opium Wars and subsequent treaties left an injury that would not heal for the Chinese people (Rosenbaum 56). Via their artwork, we can see the realistic depiction of the subjugation of foreign masters. At the same time, we can understand that the enduring spirit of the Chinese remains resilient in the face of adversity.
Consequently, the thorough analysis of the Edo to Meiji periods in Japan by the renowned author Ellen P. Conant gives a nice and clear picture of the changing social relationship of tradition and modernity during those turbulent eras. Besides consolidating the place of Imperialism and cultural hegemony, we discover how Japanese artists could sail the turbulent waters of social or political changes that must have necessitated some adaptations to mirror or resist the two forces. On the other hand, photography activates the cultural hegemony area to enable one to understand how this, like a language, functions in ways that convey the dominance of a given culture over other cultures. Western photographers usually offered a vision based on oriental stereotypes that reinforced strange “other.” However, born indigenous photographers were different, and with their emergence, they proved that the stereotypes and strange others were not the only narratives about East Asia. As their purpose, they tried to gain agency and change the perceptions of East Asian identity (Lent 298). The appearance of cinema and its development offered visual storytelling a wider platform to spread hegemonic values worldwide across all social strata. Hollywood, especially, gave a special boost to the Western imagination of East Asia by depicting exciting destinations, mysterious kung-fu people, and the most discreet of villains. However, East Asian filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki immersed the movies to challenge the dominant narratives by speaking for the authentic identity of East Asian nations and societies through life-like visuals. It is worth noting that these movies fall outside the conventional stereotypes about the culture and history of East Asia.
On the cultural level, manga can be an influential counsel tool for the princely aspects of supremacy and a rebellion for some against such power. Manga developed in Japan recently has become a worldwide sensationalized entertainment, drawing its audience in with various genres and using complete storytelling. Some manga support the idea of hegemony, while others promote iconoclasm and widen the reader’s mind. It gives a different perspective on the society, gender, and identity. Production of “Akira” by Katsuhiro Otomo and “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” by Hayao Miyazaki are two bright examples illustrating manga’s power to tackle cultural hegemonies and give insights into the third party. The most important factor in which visual representation in the history and culture of the East Asian nations offers crucial insights into the cultural hegemony modes and how these manifest in people’s perceptions, identities, and power structures. Apart from acknowledging and somehow deciphering the heritage of complex East Asian cultures, the spectators could also use the vivid imagery in the movies to destroy some oppressive traditions (Weisenfeld 782). Thus, we see how to achieve a more inclusive and fair world through critical analysis and creative expression.
It is with great authority that Cartier-Bresson’s camera can transmit the imagery of reaffirming the stereotypes and the power of the Western culture as the non-Western population is often portrayed under the scan of the subjects’ perceived exoticism or inferiority. It also exhibits a common trend of depicting these societies incorrectly while simultaneously reinforcing the power structures that existed at the time of colonization, thus continuing the established colonial narratives of domination and submission. Similarly, Kim Il Moon Pai’s examination of early Korean travel photography gives us a different view to contrast the transformative nature of photography as a tool of self-assertion during colonial rule to fight back against erasure from colonial rule. As a result, during the colonization era, initial photographers in Korea began a journey to record and glorify Korean antiquity by restoring and protecting the indigenous cultural heritage, which was under threat and resistance from the sweeping tide of colonial destruction. Through the approach of the correspondents, it becomes evident that maintaining such genuineness constitutes a targeted and serious attempt at displaying the abundant and distinctive features of the Korean culture, which is a counteraction to the colonial narratives that sought to minimize and suppress any indigenous identities. The photos become not merely a visual account but a very telling symbol of their strength and defiance in carefully holding dear to their cultural independence in the face of foreign intrusion. The discourse of Pai shows the transformative power of photography as a great weapon that permits someone to get hold of their cultures, empower himself, and defeat the oppressive who always want to tell the stories of other cultures. Besides, photography has the power to rewrite the history of the other (Pai 342). The works of these early Korean photographers are so spectacular that the camera excusably becomes their tool of cultural preservation. The shutter’s click somehow freezes moments of resilience and defiance, which overrode the rules of the colonizers’ gaze.
Furthermore, the photography exhibition that includes Cartier-Bresson’s work alongside early travel photography to Korea challenges the spectator to critically examine the photographer’s role as an observer and a participant in how visual narratives are created. While Cartier-Bresson’s sides sometimes still perpetuate the gaze of the colonial outsider, the Korean photographic authors actively exhibit the process of cultural reassertion and claim back authorship and agency over the appropriation of their representations. Fundamentally, however, the study of painting in the age of decolonization proves to be a potent signal indicating the intricate power relations and representation in the visual field. The camera lens lets us unconsciously participate in this conflict between the differing realms of visual perception and the world of truth as Photojournalists operate in this tumultuous landscape of representation amid the television broadcasts of changing political realities (Pagani 42). While the art of photography moves us forward and makes us ponder the moral questions related to visual manifestation and the duty of memory, we begin to realize that, in the last instance, a still image not only reflects reality but also may affect the medium of representation itself. In a world where depictions and images rule supreme in forging one’s collective understanding, it is of the utmost importance to critically question and examine the narratives they promote and the perspectives they emphasize. The investigation of photography in the age of decolonization gives us many sources of thought concerning the re-emergence of power, imposing representation, and resistance. Through the images created by photographers like Cartier-Bresson and the early pioneers of travel photography in Korea, we see how powerful visual imagery is in crafting our narratives.
The next step is to go into the world of manga, which is known as a popular Japanese art form and globally popular. Thus, television as this large medium can be seen as a place where they meet where history melts down the entertainment and education fields, never being sure if what you see on the TV screen is fact or fiction. According to Matthew Penney’s mapping of these dynamic relationships, we can trace how manga influences historical narratives, a reflexive and complex phenomenon. Thus, Penney, in his paper concerning the historiography of manga and reireinforcest this form of comics, is like any other comic because it can illustrate historical events and characters in a lively manner through cultural pictures. Using extensive research, Penney explains how manga writers regularly borrow information from historical sources before producing a distinctive mixture of historical elements and creative storytelling methods that produce eye-catching stories (Penney 148). Some historical fans find the merging between history and fiction quite appealing to manga artists. In distinction to printed historical texts, which must be exact to whatever events occur, manga can and does add elements to give the story a bit more flavor, such as fantasy, romance, or intrigue. Such a melding of fact and fiction is not only meant for entertainment but also invites the reader to dive deep into the critical thought on the subject and discover the difficulties in differentiating the truth and its interpretations.
To illustrate this fact, Penney identifies numerous historical settings in the manga, from the tales of the ancient samurai to stories capturing the life realities of the current generation. Through studying the effect of different historical periods and cultures on manga’s artistic vision, Penney brings to light that this medium provides one of the most explicit ways of how people’s views towards history and memory evolve. Manga enables the audience to have a different view of historical events that used to be known only from widely accepted interpretations, which stimulates thinking and a deep understanding of the past. Using Penney’s work as a bottom line, John A. Lent gives a world perspective on manga’s influence all over East Asia and beyond, stressing its cross-cultural aspects (Penny 154). The significance of Lent’s investigation is highlighted, and her research points out that manga has reached the whole region and become a cultural presence for different communities in the region. It spread thoroughly in South Korea, Taiwan, and other countries. It wasn’t just a matter of manga enjoyment but identity issues.
Lent exemplified the ability of manga to evolve into a tool for portraying historical events that move beyond languages and nations. Thanks to effective translation and localization, manga achieved cross-border popularity; thus, a common cultural language was shaped beyond the static ideology. This is exactly the kind of globalization that manga enables. This globalization is based on mutual understanding and appreciation; the sides involved are separated by visualization of a story only (Lent 302). On the other hand, the movie analyzes the manga’s functional aspects in the cultural diplomacy sphere, particularly in terms of Japan’s soft power. Let us step back for a moment and reflect on how Japan, through its export of manga and anime, has effectively shared its culture and shed light on its overseas past, redefining global perceptions of Japanese history and identity. Through renowned manga series like “Naruto” and “Attack on Titan,” Japanese manga culture has long derived popularity worldwide by shaping people’s perceptions of Japanese civilization and history.
On the one hand, Lent recognizes the complexity of Manga globalization regarding cultural appropriation and representation. Still, it gives a broader approach to a deeper understanding of the topic. As manga becomes increasingly popular outside of Japan, a major problem arises compared to the representation of non-Japan cultures and historical stories (Lent 313).
In the theater and media sphere, the depiction of gender becomes a controversy that is full of layers of discussion and censorship, which are inevitably included. Through her meaningful examination of the Kokuritsu Takarazuka Joshi Gekido (Japanese popular culture), Jennifer Robertson demonstrates the complex underbelly undermining the traditional associations of women’s characters and men’s roles. Steele’s dissection of Japanese popular theatre along those lines also traces the representation of historical events, such as the Japanese occupation of Indonesia and, consequently, the Dutch East Indies, illustrating some of the most intricate consequences of colonial ties and their interpretations. The assumption is that Takarazuka Revue is a peculiar project within Japanese amusement, known for its casts of all–females playing both male and female parts. Jennifer Robertson, who pries open the mystery of this performance, portrays a diversity of gender-related behaviors where customs are broken and limits are passed over (Murphy 96). The performances on the stage, in the Takarazuka style, challenge the audience to rethink their ideas about the true nature of gender, for it is here that they unsettle the patterns inherited from the society of dividing genders. According to Robertson, the Takarazuka performers do not just act in male roles but also bring a unique styled fashion or expression and a deep sense of cultural meaning. Using steps of dance, stylized costumes, and truthful acting, the actresses from Takarazuka are beating the limitations of gender categories, giving rise to statements that carry more than simple imitation. The Takarazuka ensembles break the gender binary by including various gender expressions. At the same time, this stops placing people only into the categories of either male or female, which shows the audience limitless possibilities of self-expression.
In addition, Robertson discusses the sociocultural impacts of Takarazuka, showing that their genders on stage are more than used to be described. She further clarifies the nature of the group and how it serves as a platform for the unraveling of gender roles, allowing for interactions on how to achieve equality and empowerment. As Takarazuka Revolutionary Troupe subverts the norms of its time with a new way of storytelling, the suspense it generates is greater than the one created by things happening on the stage alone, extending the conversations they spark beyond the confines of theatrical etiquette. In this respect, Peter Steele shows how Jōruri, a popular Japanese theatre, wanders through the turnings of real historical events and traditions, becoming a cause of their remembrance (Murphy 67). Walking the tightrope between the Japanese occupation of Indonesia and the appreciation of visual narratives as memory repositories and collective reflection sites, Steele shows how the depiction affects the memories. Steele analyzes theatrical performances, and he explores the colonization legacy extensively here. Within this framework, power dynamics turn out to be more complex than they appear on the surface, and the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized is not thought of in a context of black and white.
According to Steele’s study, we need to realize the crucial function that popular theatre has accomplished in forming a common memory and collective historical consciousness. Stage dialogue is among the best ways to understand history better. So, historical performances provide a visual opportunity for an audience to gaze at the past with their own eyes. In the example of the Japanese being in Indonesia, Steele explains that the show deals with the issues of resistance, collaboration, forgiveness, and the hard surface of colonialism through which it transits. The analysis of Steele emphasizes the inner current of the historical representations of colonialism, which show the triumph and the tragedies connected with sophistication or balance. Through pictures and motion, he discloses the essence of the colonial encounters, emphasizing the native and colonial interaction and how it was facilitated and neglected. While Steele presents two sides to a classic and internationally accepted simplistic narrative of victimhood and oppression, he forces spectators to face the complexity that colonial tales usually hold. In the end, the union of gender representation and colonial memory in the theater world or media becomes an evolving theme that is explored and interpreted from diverse perspectives. Both Jennifer Robertson and Peter Steele tackle the issue of power dynamics between men and women in visual media by providing an in-depth analysis that allows movie viewers to conclude what collides with society regarding gender, power, and identity. These studies prove that visual narratives can transcend and reshape traditional viewing and storytelling by combining Takarazuka’s cross-gender performances to reveal the influence of prolonged colonization portrayed in theater (Hong. 132). With all this in mind, the findings from the research become key supportive instruments for sparking meaningful conversations, empathy, and understanding that exist even across different cultural backgrounds.
A deeper appreciation of and an understanding of cultural hegemony is offered through the visual discourse within East Asian arts and media, unwrapping its complex layers and varied forms of representation. Within various artistic media, such as painting, photography, comics, and the stage, normative ideologies cooperate in conveying established beliefs while being challenged and resisted, which inevitably affects the shape of social perceptions and identities. This study highlights the conversation between power and cultural ideologies. It forces us to think critically about the narratives we commonly see and fights for equality and inclusion in representation.
Art within the East Asian realm represents a huge source of means to order the world and enforce the dominance or the contestation of assumed superiority. Classic art that is based on depictions such as ink paintings and calligraphy has been noting the reflective ideologies in the history and the government that were in power, while on the other hand, presenting dissent foundations by those who were not in power or were resisting. The brushstrokes of the masters of their time create stunning visuals and tell the story of the depicted characters’ social status, gendered roles, and the impact of faith on them. Art, which serves as a blueprint for the contemporary world, is deciphered through their examination, and how the mainstream ideology is captured and transmitted via visual images continues to contribute to the formation of the collective ego of society. Photography in East Asia, just like photography in the rest of the world, acts as a means by which dominating stories about people’s lives through words, images, and other channels get created and published. Whether it’s old documentary photography or current photojournalism, images depict the transient moments and reshape reality in given cultural settings to influence public perception and form history’s memory. Representing the reality of the observed situations, not exception to revealing political events, photographers undertook negative responsibility in constructing history and establishing dominant concepts. However, multiple image-making practices and the emergence of technology, which lowered the significance of photography, also gave rise and space to non-dominant voices and subjects (Hong. 122). That has resulted in the invention of diverse narratives and the cancellation of hegemonic narratives, which was a rather positive issue. Manga is a genre that became prominent in East Asian popular culture in critical aspects and disruption of established worldviews. While being diverse regarding the genres, manga is also appealing to all members of society due to its diversity, and perhaps more importantly, it reflects the deepest values and issues of modern East Asian culture, like identity, globalization, and justice. Pictures, stories, and comics in the manga provide a means of expression for all the disenfranchised who, with its diverse realities, include variations that conflict with the status quo and fight against hegemony.
Works Cited
Murphy, Alexander. “The Voice of a Stranger: Rumor, Radio, and the Aurality of Difference in Interwar Japan.” The Journal of Japanese Studies 50.1 (2024): 65-98.
Pagani, Catherine. “Chinese material culture and British perceptions of China in the mid-nineteenth century.” Colonialism and the Object. Routledge, 2012. 28-40.
Weisenfeld, Gennifer S. “Touring” Japan-As-Museum”: NIPPON and Other Japanese Imperialist Travelogues.” positions: east Asian cultures critique 8.3 (2000): 747-793.
Rosenbaum, Roman. “Reading Shōwa history through manga: Astro Boy as the avatar of postwar Japanese culture.” Manga and the Representation of Japanese History. Routledge, 2012. 40-59.
Penney, Matthew. “Making history: Manga between kyara and historiography.” Manga and the representation of Japanese history. Routledge, 2012. 146-170.
Lent, John A. “Manga in East Asia.” Manga: An anthology of global and cultural perspectives (2010): 297-314.
Pai, Hyung Il. “Monumentalizing the ruins of Korean antiquity: Early travel photography and itinerary of Seoul’s heritage destinations.” International Journal of Cultural Property 21.3 (2014): 331-347.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0940739114000228
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