An Artist of the Floating World is the second book by Kazuo Ishiguro; it was nominated for the Booker Prize and won the Whitbread Prize in 1986. Writing this against the backdrop of 1980’s Britain, Ishiguro portrayed a country with deep divides, where people felt compelled to take a political position, and the place of art in society is examined.

In post-war Japan retired artist Masuji Ono lives quietly contemplating his past. In his youth he was ambitious to be a ‘great man’ and make an impact on his country through his art. This he achieves by rejecting his master’s style of traditional art to produce work in support of Japan’s military ambitions. 

Democratic reforms begun in the early 20th century halted in the 1920s with the growth of reactionary forces. A financial crash left the economy under the control of conglomerations, the civil government was weakened by domestic crises, nationalists believed that Japan should unite Asia against Western colonial powers, and the military became a dominant force. The state demanded absolute loyalty from citizens in every sphere of life. 

Against this backdrop, Ono rejects his master’s modernised-traditional style to rail against the weakness of politicians and the greedy businessmen who controlled the economy, and support Japanese expansionism. As his views chime with the social mood he rises in society, with his art helping to drive the social changes.

In post-war Japan Ono’s work has become radically unfashionable. Other men of high stature have felt compelled to resign or even commit suicide over their wartime leadership. In his retirement he contemplates his past, his possible responsibility to the young men who suffered and died in the war, and the impact his past has on his present and the future of his family.

Ono’s stream of thought is quite meandering, breaking off and circling back, making it little difficult to follow the narrative line. 

The group members all agreed that the book was beautifully written; it is somewhat formal in tone, to evoke a feeling of having been originally written in Japanese, and the group agreed that it had the feeling of a well-translated book. The highly respectful language used masks discreet criticism from Ono’s daughters, ironic praise from his students, and polite tension when meeting the family of his daughter’s fiancé. While this is quite a short book, members found there was a lot to unpack with echoes and parallels between the past and present.

A complex book looking at how people deceive themselves, the Literati Reading Group found it thoughtful and interesting, rating it 8.4/10.

This book is available for borrowing from Libraries in Pembrokeshire; a small reservation fee may be required if it is not at your branch, or if all copies are out on loan.