Kaikai Kiki in Nakano Broadway

25.12.2010 by Patrick W. Galbraith

Kaikai Kiki, the artist collective and company of Murakami Takashi, has opened an art gallery on the second floor of Nakano Broadway. I was just going to pick up some idol goods from the store next door when I saw this. Not really sure what to make of this. Murakami's fascination with otaku culture is well known, but I wonder who comes to this gallery? I mean, Broadway is full of shoppers of all kinds - old, young, Japanese and non-Japanese, otaku and non-otaku - but perhaps least of all those in the market for contemporary (high) art. Most of the shoppers seem more interested in manga, anime etc than paintings by Murakami et al. I wanted to check it out, but it's only open by appointment...