Shibuya 渋谷

 

It was quite the adventurous Sunday around Tokyo.

It started by meeting up with a woman I found on Craigslist to purchase a hair dryer. I'm generally distrustful of people I don't know, but for 500 Yen (about $5), this seemed like a good deal for something that I need. We met at a station, and I didn't even have to leave the gate, we just exchanged over the turn style. The dryer works, and now we're both better for it. Watching the film Craigslist Joe a few months ago made me more open to the possibility of finding goods through the listing, and considering I've sold a few things that way myself, perhaps it is a good lesson in being open to the potential good of humanity.

 

 

After meeting her, I had a bit of time to spare before going to a social gathering of other foreign academic  researchers currently working in Tokyo. I had to get there by way of Shibuya, so I spent a little time around the station. Perhaps best known for Shibuya Crossing and all the trendy teenagers, I was more interested in seeing Okamoto Taro's Myth of Tomorrow while in the area. Myth of Tomorrow is a huge mural created by the mid-20th century avant garde artist as a warning against the horror of nuclear war and weaponry. It was originally housed in Mexico City (in a hotel of all places), and was lost for decades until it was found less than ten years ago. The mural was restored and brought to Japan, and now resides in part of the sprawling Shibuya Station.

 

 

Although the mural has sustained some damage through its tumultuous life, it still has a haunting, ghostly feel to it. It seems like a strange place for such a work- in a hall full of commuters, most of whom passed by without giving the piece a glance (though there were a few others taking photos and obviously visiting for the art). As with Okamoto's other work, I enjoy the supporting characters the most- the tiny ghostly creatures in the bottom right corner for example, don't appear central at first, but really work to draw the viewer into the message of the mural with their uncanny human forms and chilling, empty eyes.