Introduction（はじめに）

Poet-singers have existed since ancient times, known for moving from place to place, singing and reciting their poetry. They have played various roles throughout the ages. They have been storytellers who pass on royal and aristocratic lineages and heroic tales, musicians who inspire soldiers on the battlefield, social critics, clowns, spokespersons for the common people, hosts of ceremonies, gate entertainment, mediums for communicating with the spiritual world, and—in more modern times—hip-hop artists and rappers who dominate the world’s popular music.
It is said that, through singing and poetry, poet-singers mediate communication between us, human beings, and transcendent beings (gods, demons, and spirits); this shakes up the rigid structures of society and blows a gaping hole into it. Sometimes, the poet-singer flatters and uplifts those in power, and at other times, they are willing to tear away their thick robes of authority and humiliate them. The poet-singers remind us of the fragility of life, warns us against those who are arrogant and prophesies to come, and solemnizes us. In recent years, poet-singers have been a major force in the global consumer society and the world of music, especially pop music.
In modern times, and in the context of global consumer society, the world of popular music, and the movement by UNESCO and others to protect this intangible cultural heritage, they have flexibly changed their performance styles and the way they are represented, and have thereby survived.
In this special exhibition, Asian and African poet-singers will be presented as beings who, through their poetry and imagery, “alienate” the world (depict a world different from the one we live in). The current exhibition introduces various aspects of the art and material culture that make this possible, from those who are rooted in local communities to the artists in question. The exhibition simultaneously conveys the breath of the people of the local community who supported and nurtured the poet-singers for ages.

The names of the exhibited materials are written in katakana, following their local pronunciation.

September 2024
Special Exhibition “THE WORLD OF POET-SINGERS” Executive Committee Chairman
Itsushi Kawase