Lun*na Menoh's Statement regarding her Mini-Art Exhibition: Yakuza Papers

“Battle Without Honor & Humanity”: THE YAKUZA PAPERS Vol. 1-5’
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku. First released in Japan in 1973 through 1974.

This five part film series is based on a real story regarding the Yakuza’s (the Japanese Mafia) survival from right after the war to the 70’s. And to this very day the film series is very popular in Japan.

In 2004 this DVD was released in the United States with English subtitles. When I saw the DVD again in the States I felt similar to the Yakuza with respect to those who are Japanese and living in the U.S. A lot of us who are Japanese have a personal dream to come to the United States and most of us who are living here, in what feels like we are on the fringes of Society. A lot of us here desire a friend or to be part of a family to be devoted to.

There is a battle everyday to reach the bridge between those who live in America and its open society and those who carry the Japanese spirit: Honor and Humanity.
The dialogues on the artworks are from the movie written by Kazoo Kasahara and Kouji Takada. These words touch my soul so I want to hang them on my living room wall.

These pieces are not only for the Japanese, but also for all of us who love THE YAKUZA PAPERS. We can all share this with people who feel “jingi.“ - honor and humanity.

All the artworks in this exhibition are priced $89.30.

The reasons are:

8 we pronounce yattu = ya
9 we pronounce ku or kyu= ku
3 we pronounce san which sounds like =za

So these are all “Yakuza Prices.”

- Lun*na Menoh, December 11, 2007