Last fall, British artist Jake Chapman found a spectacular way to irritate arts-minded parents like me — all the while "coincidentally" generating controversy and interest in his latest show where there was previously none. Chapman is a shock merchant, so I should have realized that his words might have been crafted to go viral, as they did last August.
What did he say? He said that taking children to art galleries is a "waste of time," and that parents would be "arrogant" to think that their children could understand abstract artists. As a frequenter of galleries and a father of two, this felt like a personal affront. Incensed, I spluttered angry refutations into cyberspace before realizing my online outrage could only aid his upcoming exhibition (well played, Chapman). So instead of futile grievances, I dropped the subject and took my daughter to an exhibition. And then another one.
If you glean anything from this column, I hope it's that Tokyo is fantastic fun for children. There are great parks, museums and family entertainment options, but one aspect of the city that I feel is often overlooked by Tokyo parents is the vibrant contemporary art scene. Galleries continue to blossom in pockets of the metropolis: from glitzy luxury brand-backed parlors in Ginza and Omotesando, to small, innovative spaces in humble neighborhoods such as Bakurocho, Yanaka and Kiyosumi Shirakawa.