Aoyama | Meguro

About the space

Aoyama | Meguro occupies a former shipping company’s warehouse on Komazawa Dori. Its large glass doors make it easy for passers by to catch a glimpse of exhibitions and venture in.

Inside, the broad, unpolished space is partitioned by rough chipboard walls that separate the exhibition space from the office. Even when the gallery is between exhibitions it feels as though it is already occupied by an architectural installation. Indeed, this structure was built by architectural office Sschemata, which shares the space with Aoyama | Meguro under the collective name ‘happa.’

Aoyama | Meguro is one of a number of so-called ‘next generation’ galleries that have opened in Tokyo since 2004. Their young directors have all worked for the major commercial galleries that were established in the 1990s and have tried to reinvigorate the Tokyo art world. Thus, they have opened their galleries with the training and experience required to push the contemporary art scene to the next level. Aoyama | Meguro shows the work of young but increasingly well-known artists like Koki Tanaka and Junya Sato.

Down the road from Aoyama | Meguro, the Nakameguro neighborhood is well known as a place to walk along the peaceful treelined river, where you can enjoy trendy cafés, bars, restaurants and design shops.