Tarō Okamoto, Japan reinvented: a new exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly, our photos

He is considered by many to be one of the leading figures of the Japanese avant-garde. He was a painter, sculptor, muralist, photographer, writer, author of numerous texts and Japanese researcher. His name is Taro Okamoto (1911-1996), and the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris is devoting a small exhibition to him, housed in theAtelier Martine Aublet.

On view from Tuesday, April 15 to Sunday, September 7, 2025, the exhibition " Tarō Okamoto. Un Japon réinventé " invites us to discover part of the life and career of this multidisciplinary artist, as well as a selection of his works.

Although little known in France, it was here that Taro Okamoto built part of his career. After arriving in Paris in 1930, Tarō Okamoto trained at the Musée de l'Homme's ethnology laboratory in 1938, working with sociologist and anthropologist Marcel Mauss and physician and ethnologist Paul Rivet. During his stay of around 10 years in France, Taro Okamoto made the acquaintance of important figures in the artistic avant-garde. He also became close to writer and philosopher Georges Bataille, and joined the Acéphale secret society.

He finally decided to leave France and return home to Japan in 1940. Within a decade, he had become one of the leading figures of the Japanese artistic avant-garde. Proof of his renown in the Land of the Rising Sun, Tarō Okamoto is one of the best-known 20th-century artists in Japan!

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So why is he still a little-known artist in France? This is the question posed by Benoît Buquet, the curator of this exhibition, who hopes, through this installation, to help as many people as possible discover the work of Tarō Okamoto.

From April 15 to September 7, 2025, the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris invites us to learn more about Tarō Okamoto 's personal and artistic journey by comparing several of his works, created between 1930 and 1970, with the museum's collections. The Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac holds four of the artist's masks, created in 1970, as well as three photos of a mysterious underground exhibition entitled"Inori" and archival documents.

Featuring around 8 showcases and a short film directed by Jean Rouch, this small exhibition highlights Tarō Okamoto 's passion for masks. We learn that the mask collections at the Musée de l'Homme in Paris were a reference for the artist. In fact, he chose the two-sided mask from Pentecost Island to feature in the exhibition he was preparing in Osaka. The Musée du Quai Branly recalls his role as curator of the theme pavilion at the Japan World Expo in Osaka in 1970, and his emblematic " Tower of the Sun " . A 1/144 scale model of the sculpture is on display for the occasion.

An exhibition that should appeal not only to fans of Japanese culture, but also to lovers of the Avant-garde. However, don't expect to see a huge number of works by Tarō Okamoto. The exhibition is housed in the museum's 170-square-meter permanent collection space. We would have liked to have seen more of this artist's world. So, when will there be a major retrospective in France devoted to Tarō Okamoto ?

The Musée du Quai Branly in Paris: a journey to the heart of the world's cultures
The Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, just a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower, offers a fascinating journey through the world's cultures. This unique museum, nestled in a green setting, is a must for lovers of ethnography and cultural discovery. [Read more]