"Los Nuevos Caprichos" is Yasumasa Morimura's homage to Francisco de Goya's (1746-1828) series "Los Caprichos". It was during Goya's mature period in 1799 when the series was published. As the title "Caprichos (Whims)" hints, the satirical series was filled with dark humor and poignant sarcasm, proving that Goya had a different side to him, full of free-spirited imagination and vigorous allegories, other than his role as an official court painter.

 

Morimura's new (nuevos) version of the series is his own interpretation to Goya's, that mirrors the current social situation. While Goya's original version was criticizing different issues in a male-dominated, close-minded society, the focus in gender roles have completely switched in Morimura's case - In one image, Morimura transforms himself into a beautiful lady who turns her back against a man who is trying to approach her. With a cellphone in her hand she says, "'One Way Ticket' (to love) is Out of Fashion"; In another image, women sweep little ugly beings away with their brooms saying, "Gentlemen, Your Turn is Over." These reflections of the contemporary world come along with each print as a satirical title in manuscript, similar to Goya's series.

 

Morimura also spent a lot of thoughts and consideration with the printing technique for this homage. Just as how Goya selected the best aquatint and etching techniques during the period, Morimura chose amanasalto's platinum printing technique to realize his images in a similar texture with Goya's "works on paper". Platinum printing technique dates back to the 19th century and is still considered as the top among all techniques, with beautiful tone variations and reproducibility. Combined with amanasalto's unique technology in the exposing process, the technique served as an time-transcending intermediary between Goya's and Morimura's works.