Milky Bay; 裏切りの海

Enfolded within Yuichiro Tamura’s installation, Milky Bay, are subtle references to various episodes of post-war history in which bodies and the male physique feature prominently. Foremost among these is the story of Yukio Mishima, considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. Mishima attracted controversy for his nationalist political views. He was also a proponent of bodybuilding, regarding bodily strength as the basis of national prowess.

Milky Bay presents an immersive environment that recreates the interior of the seamen’s club in Yokohama, from which Mishima set sail for his world tour on Christmas Day in 1951. The work also includes narration by two male voices, one of which is that of a character reminiscent of Mishima’s bodybuilding coach. Another reference in the work is a murder case from 2009, in which two dismembered bodies washed up in the sea near Yokohama.