New York
Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subcultures
Japan Society
333 East 47th Street
April 8–July 25, 2005
Curated by Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami's global empire keeps expanding, whether he's marketing riffs on Louis Vuitton or kiddie-party decorations for Grand Central Terminal. The next takeover promises to rival even Christo dimensions: transporting the high-tech universe of otakuthat infinite profusion of comics, video games, toys, and websitesto Manhattan, where a visiting delegation of Murakami's compatriots will present some two hundred works, immersing us in an ethos of game arcades and shop-window displays. These installations will turn up everywhere, from subway cars and Union Square's subway station to Japan Society's midtown facade (not to mention the show behind it). Watch out, Toys “R” Us!