Takashi Murakami at Gagosian
It’s better to be surprised by Takashi Murakami’s gigantic exhibition at Gagosian, and if you like spectacles, it shouldn’t be missed. Following the Great TÅhoku Earthquake of 2011, Murakami began studying up on Japanese artists’ responses to natural disasters through the ages. He presents the results of this inquiry in room after room of paintings and sculptures that combine characters and imagery from a wide range of sources. But it’s the smell of the wood from the 56-ton sacred gate that really makes the show cohere.