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Japanamerica Author to Talk in London

Roland Kelts, the author of the book Japanamerica, will speak at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation (map), on this Thursday, April 14. The talk will be from 1600 to 1700, followed by a drinks reception until 1800. The talk is free, but it needs to be booked. Details here, including a booking form link.

From the page;

Is there something more to the West's fascination with Japanese anime and manga? How are anime films and manga comics cultural channeling zones, opened by the horrors of war and disaster and animated by the desire to assemble a world of new looks, feelings and identities? Professor at the University of Tokyo, Sophia University and the University of the Sacred Heart Tokyo, Roland Kelts addresses the movement of Japanese culture into the West as sign and symptom of broader reanimations. With uncertainty now the norm, style, he argues, is trumping identity, explaining, in part, the success of Japanese pop and fashion, design and cuisine in the West.

Update: The talk will be followed directly by a charity auction from 1700 to 1900, called Print Sale for Japan. No booking is needed. From the website:

The artists of East London Printmakers, an independent artist-run printmaking studio, work in techniques such as hand made stencils, silkscreen, fabric printing, woodcut, etching and photographic processes. The work is a diverse mix of traditional and contemporary art. The 200 members include people from over 17 countries, many with an interest in Japanese arts and culture, and several who have visited or lived in Japan. The funds they collect by selling their art works will all go to the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal. The Price range is £10-£300.

Details of the items in the auction are here.