New Books in Art

Gennifer Weisenfeld, "Gas Mask Nation: Visualizing Civil Air Defense in Wartime Japan" (U Chicago Press, 2023)

Sep 5, 2023
Gennifer Weisenfeld, Author of Gas Mask Nation: Visualizing Civil Air Defense in Wartime Japan, discusses the multilayered construction of an anxious yet pleasurable visual culture of Japanese civil air defense. Topics include the connection between pleasure and pain, the allure of technology in wartime Japan, the relationship between gas masks and nuclear weapons, and the fascination with airplanes and civil defense. The speaker also emphasizes the relevance of studying the period of anticipation before air raids in understanding current experiences of living with constant fear.
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