Collection of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain

The sculpture of the giant woman in bed is confronting because, although big, she is not humongous – at least not enough for it to be dismissed as an inanimate ‘thing’. As you stand next to her disproportionately blown-up head, the details – veins in her hands, the creases of skin in her bent arms, her melancholy downcast eyes – are shockingly, almost disturbingly realistic. You could almost imagine her rolling over, or sighing heavily as her eyes momentarily look up and meet your own, making you feel as if you’ve just intruded in her private bedroom. But of course, she never moves. This sculpture is featured early on in the exhibition. It forces you to confront the ambiguous realms of fantasy/reality/hyper-reality, effectively setting the tone for the amazing collection of contemporary photographs, installations and paintings featured here at the Museum of Contemporary Art (in one my favorite museums in Tokyo, I might add). A must see.