Initial Impressions of the Tokyo Art Scene Amy Brereton (Tokyo)
Just a few weeks ago, I found myself standing on the 52nd floor of Tokyo City View in Roppongi, gazing out on the skyline of a city that never ends. There is something surreal about living in the largest city in the world. Tokyo truly seems like a city full of infinite possibilities, and as an artist, this is nothing but inspiring. I was placed in Tokyo as an ALT on the JET Programme five months ago. Prior to this, I had been studying illustration and graphic design at Emily Carr University in Vancouver. When I’m not working as a teacher’s assistant, I love to immerse myself in the local art scene by attending gallery exhibitions and going to concerts. I still have a lot more to experience, but so far my impression of Tokyo’s art scene has been overwhelmingly positive. Japan seems to have an appreciation for art unmatched by anything I’ve experienced in Canada. Growing up, I was always made fun of for loving comics,
76 Photos: Amy Brereton
video games, and animation, but here in Tokyo, it brings me so much joy to see people of all ages and occupations enjoying manga and anime. Geek culture here doesn’t share as much of the stigma that it once did in North America. You can find anime and videogame characters on everything from adver tisements, packaging, school supplies, and toiletries— even themed cafes. This kind of acceptance of illustration makes me feel proud to be an artist, as well as inspired to keep creating. Furthermore, as someone who is still acquiring Japanese language abilities while living in Tokyo, I find myself increasingly more appreciative of illustration and art as a method of communication. Illustration is a universal language in a sense, sometimes being the only thing I can rely on besides Google Translate when I’m basically illiterate in the Japanese written language. For instance, when I’m at a store looking for a particular item such as shampoo, I feel thankful when I find a bottle
with explanatory images since I can’t read much of the Japanese. On more than one occasion, illustration and art have made my daily life here much easier. Being such a large city, Tokyo offers gallery spaces and events for both up-and-coming and established artists alike. Some of my favorite gallery experiences so far include seeing installation artist Shiota Chiharu’s work at an exhibition titled “The Soul Trembles” at the Mori Art Museum, and stumbling upon Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano’s work in Shibuya at Kikka Gallery. Tokyo certainly knows how to cater to specific fan bases. As someone who loves shojo manga and the acclaimed film Akira, I took great pleasure in attending both the Nakayobashi’s 65th Anniversary Exhibition at Yayoi Museum and the Akira Art of Wall exhibit at PARCO Gallery. Larger fair events such as the Tokyo Art Book Fair, Yokohama Handmade Marche and Design Festa provide spaces for independent artists
