Murakami Mania Hits Brooklyn

(NEW YORK) Takashi Murakami mania is about to hit the East Coast. Following the debut of his retrospective, ©Murakami, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in October, the exhibition is preparing for its New York premiere at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, which will host more than 90 works by the Japanese artist from April 5 to July 13. On April 3, a gala, much like the star-studded one in L.A. that was attended by Marc Jacobs, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christina Ricci, and Tom Ford, will take place at the museum's Eastern Parkway locale adjacent to Prospect Park. And at Thursday night's (Auction) Red gala at Sotheby's, Murakami revealed that his friend Kanye West, who performed at the MOCA gala, will reprise his role with a mini-concert, while Jay-Z has signed on as a co-chair. What's more, the Louis Vuitton brand, which made retail history with its first-ever pop-up shop within MOCA to herald the exhibit, plans on installing a similar concept at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. "I will be introducing new characters," Murakami promised.