Yoshitomo Nara:

This piece of art is very simplistic, like much of his other work. There is very little detail in the face of the head in the bottom portion. The red lettering in the top portion really captures the eye, while still matching with the lips of the head. Although the quote says it is better to burn out than to fade away, it looks to me like the head has done neither of those things. This might be to speak to the difficulty of letting yourself go, whether it is burning or fading.

Murakami Takashi

There is a chance that more people have seen this album cover without even knowing that it was created by Murakami. It is one of his more straightforward art pieces, due to its intended audience. The bear, Mr. West, is "Graduating." He is being shot out of the Murakami style head that is topped with a classic symbol of university, the greek arches. Interestingly, the head's eyes are more closed than usual Murakami style eyes, which might symbolize the interest the University has in you, which is very little.

Final Project Update:
       As i begin my research into the art and history of sushi, and its migration to western culture, i have come across many worthwhile reads (and some restaurant menus). I want to introduce the class to the different types of sushi, and how each is prepared. i don't know yet how i should design my presentation, but i am thinking of just going chronologically through history. Here are some links that are both scholarly and not as much.
        To the topic of sushi itself and its design:

• THE ART OF SUSHI
• Sushi: it’s more than just raw fish | The Japanese Culture Club

        To the topic of its globalization and adaptation:

• 36Carroll氏-times.indd
• The Truth About American Sushi No One Wants to Hear
• Sushi standards and the American way - The Washington Post

I will continue to add to these lists as i continue research.

Japan Travel Album

      I am a man who brings rich travelers across the Atlantic from America to Great Britain. I have seen the coastline from sea many times, and this bored me. I want to see exotic architecture that i can not experience from the ocean. I would also like to see the sea from land, as this is a rare opportunity for me. 

       This is the first stop on my journey, featuring a gorgeous photo of the water from the perspective of the land. At home i live in a house very similar to this, but with superior architectural stability. It looks like this one could be blown away easily in a storm! Also, look at that boat, its narrow hull must do terribly in any choppy waves. 

What a beautiful sight this is! I am used to looking in at this scene, but rarely do i see it from this angle. The red gate on the top of the rock is supposedly a shrine, but i don't know how you would get up there. The rope that wraps around the two rocks must be for stability so they don't erode away, the waves must be strong here. 

 This is another photo of what they call a shrine, which looks to be just a big red gate in hard-to-reach places like the previous photo. This place in particular is one i was recommended to see, due to its beauty. Although quite whelming, i was disgusted by the amount of fellow tourists were here. I am used to solitude at sea and the amount of people here really made me want to leave. 

The harbors of Japan that i was able to visit are nothing like the organized, advanced ports of America. As you can see in this photo, which is taken from a mountain i was able to hike up, there is no rhyme nor reason to where sailors can take mooring. Even the city itself is clearly poorly organized. New York is keenly grouped into blocks, whereas it is quite easy to get lost in the labyrinth that is Nagasaki. 

My final photo is of the ship that will carry me to China where i will board a proper steamship. Its size is comparable to the charter ship that i own, but its sail design is much different. For starters, look how cramped they must be with those sails so close to the deck. Also, imagine how wet the deck must get with such a high draw; any large wave would come up over the side. But alas, it will do, and its design is elegant, thus my decision to keep its memory. 

              All of these photos do a good job of painting the picture seen by a tourist that might stick to the coastline. These are all Quintessential tourist locations, like the Torii gate seen in the third photo. The photos my sailor chose are all person-less pictures, which is what i portrayed him to enjoy. Due to these gaze-less inanimate scenes, the sailor must make his judgments based off of his personal interpretation of the landscapes in comparison to what he knows. In the first&last photo, he compares the ships seen in the picture to the ships he pilots and will board En Route back home. The view of Nagasaki is especially interesting because it encapsulates the messiness of both the Harbor and the City itself. With nothing similar to compare it to other than cities like London or New York, my sailor has to focus on the things he is familiar with. In this specific photo, he plays off of the downward angle of the camera to show that he truly is looking down on the city of Nagasaki, Japan.