Stencil for Illustrated Don Quixote (Ehon Don Kihōte) Possibly 1936

Editor: This is Serizawa Keisuke's "Stencil for Illustrated Don Quixote," currently at the Harvard Art Museums. The stark black and white contrast gives it a very graphic feel. How do you interpret its visual language? Curator: I see a dialogue between cultures and eras. The choice to depict Don Quixote through a Japanese lens invites us to question the universality of narratives. Is the tale of a delusional knight more potent when filtered through the aesthetics of another culture, challenging our assumptions about heroism and delusion? Editor: That's fascinating! Curator: Consider too, the political implications. By embracing a non-Western artistic vocabulary, does Serizawa subtly critique Western cultural dominance, suggesting alternative perspectives and histories are equally valid? Editor: I never considered that. I'll definitely look at this piece differently now. Curator: Art gives us a chance to see old stories through new eyes, letting us understand our own biases and maybe even question our own realities.