Qatar’s Murakami Exibition: Fair Billing Or Not?

While we’re on the subject of curatorial matters — yesterday I mentioned how much I’d learned by the focused curating of van Gogh’s paintings to show his take/perspective on nature — I decided to take up a very different example that has been on my mind. In honesty, I don’t know how I feel about this.

Since Feb. 9, Murakami – Ego has been on view at the Al Riwaq exhibition space, located next to the Museum of Islamic Art on Doha’s Corniche, a project of the Qatar Museums Authority. It’s billed as “ his first exhibition in the Middle East and one of his largest to date” and promises that “Japanese artist Takashi Murakami will immerse visitors in a fantasy world that captures his distinct perspective on contemporary culture.”

Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, the press release says the show will have more than 70 works, from 1997 through the present, in a 24,756 sq. ft space:

The exhibition, which functions as a giant self-portrait and offers a look inside the artist’s mind, features new monumental works of art, a variety of multi-media objects and environments, new modes of display, and important series presented in their entirety for the first time.

The full press release, which describes the exhibition in detail, is here.

Now Murakami also makes some risque, some might say profane, works, such as his nudes and his ”My Lonesome Cowboy.” I asked whether any were in this show. The response from the press representative was “no, the exhibition does not contain his nudes. Takashi Murakami and curator Massimiliano Gioni obviously have shown respect for the local culture and tradition of Qatar.”

I also asked who the show was aimed at, and got this response:

There are actually a number of educational initiatives planned. To celebrate the opening, there was a talk between Takashi Murakami and curator Massimiliano Gioni on Feb 9, at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium.  The audience was a mix of university students, artists, people involved in the Qatar/regional art scene, and special guests from the international art world.

The Japanese Club from Qatar University, which is made up of young Qatari and Arab students, helped with the event.  In addition, the group is working with QMA as volunteers, serving as gallery guides for visitors and school groups touring the exhibition.

Other activities planned for local audiences include a series of family workshops from April-June called “Once Upon a Time,” which will explore Murakami’s work as inspiration for art projects. 

Hmmm. I guess that means locals and visitors alike. Here is what I think I think: It’s fine for the curators to choose works that will respect the local culture, and I respect them for that.

What I think may be wrong is billing the show as his “distinct perspective on contemporary culture.” That, to me, would include his most popular, or most valuable, works. If “My Lonesome Cowboy,” a large sculpture of an anime manga-boy masturbating that fetched some $15 million at auction, isn’t “a look inside his mind,” a lot of other people have been fooled about that. His nudes are clearly sexual. These works are, largely, what he is famous for. How can they be left out, without an explanation? Viewers are not getting the true picture — they are being misled.