After visiting the Ginza galleries Saturday afternoon, I found myself unable to decide which of a number of good shows to feature in my column this week. So, instead of zooming in on a particular exhibition, allow me to present an overview.
There are several hundred art spaces on the Ginza strip -- many of them non-curated kashi, or rental spaces -- so ferreting out quality shows can be quite a challenge. For a look at some of the best that's out there right now, you could check out the following galleries, all of which are within walking distance of one another.
Since 1947, cosmetics giant Shiseido has been organizing a semi-regular series of exhibitions called the Tsubaki-kai. The idea is to trace the development of a selected group of artists through a series of annual showcases of their work. This, the fifth Tsubaki-kai, features the work of nine Japanese artists. They exhibited this time last year in Shiseido's old Ginza gallery and are showing again now in the company's new and better space. In fact, they'll be showing each spring until 2005.