The Use of Electricity during the Attack on Pyeongyang 1894

Curator: The somber hues dominating this composition evoke a palpable sense of unease and the impending drama of conflict. Editor: We're looking at a woodblock print created by Kobayashi Kiyochika in 1894 titled, "The Use of Electricity during the Attack on Pyeongyang." Curator: Electricity as a tool of war, weaponizing progress; a clear demonstration of the dark underbelly of modernity. The artist's choices immediately frame this through a narrative of technological advantage versus, well, the illuminated target. I see it as a visual metaphor for the disruptive potential of innovation when unleashed on traditional power structures. Editor: Absolutely. It is vital to contextualize Kiyochika’s position and the historical milieu. This print was produced during the First Sino-Japanese War. Consider how the socio-political climate—a Japan aggressively expanding its sphere of influence—might shape not just the image, but its reception and distribution among the public at the time. It undeniably promoted a vision of Japanese military might empowered by technological prowess. Curator: Indeed. Beyond the nationalistic propaganda, there is a deeply unsettling aspect. The stark beam of light—so modern—cuts through the darkness. What does this new, technologically-enhanced, form of seeing mean for concepts of the battlefield, surveillance, and the human cost of conflict? I think there’s commentary here on visibility, who is seen and who remains unseen in such power dynamics. Editor: I concur that Kiyochika brilliantly illustrates this clash, this paradigm shift, capturing the nascent stage of modern warfare’s introduction. His skill lies in conveying a powerful image but also, in shaping and reflecting the dominant narrative within Japan's socio-political aspirations and strategic expansion within Asia. What lessons, what reflections do we draw in the present when re-examining this artwork through the layers of history? Curator: It asks us to think about technological progress as neither neutral, nor inevitable, but enmeshed in a complex web of power, ideology and their visual representation in society. Editor: And to remain mindful how institutions of power—through artistic expression—participate in the articulation and legitimization of geopolitical ambition.