From the Catalogue: Equal parts playful and critical, cute and menacing, Takashi Murakami’s DOB Splash (walkman), 1999, is an astute reflection of the artist’s ongoing exploration of Japanese culture. Murakami first created his recurring motif, Mr. DOB, in 1992 as a kind of self-portrait – an alter ego inspired by anime and manga characters that have attained cult status in Japan. A synthesis of language and cartoon imagery, Mr. DOB is a physical manifestation of the letters “D-O-B” – “D” and “B” inscribed on each ear, with an “O”-shaped face situated in between. A contraction of the Japanese slang expression “dobojite”, or “why?”, his name alludes to the artist’s critical attitude towards more complex themes of consumerism, technology and violence.

The hyper-compressed, depthless surface of DOB Splash (walkman) is characteristic of Murakami’s signature Superflat aesthetic, a fusion of traditional Japanese painting with the flat-screen imagery of the digital age. In DOB Splash (walkman), the floating character is juxtaposed against an expanse of monochromatic blue, emphasizing the extreme two-dimensionality of the composition. For Murakami, this rendering highlights the flattening of Japanese culture and democracy as a byproduct of technology and consumerism.

In DOB Splash (walkman), Mr. DOB hovers in the air against a dazzling blue background, a zigzagged spray trailing in his wake. A symbol of mass consumption, he is reminiscent of the American icon Mickey Mouse – with his white gloves and cartoonish ears – yet he retains a distinct cuteness synonymous with Japanese youth culture. However, beneath this playful guise, Mr. DOB assumes a more villainous character, revealing the superficiality of consumerist culture, hedonism, and the way in which excess can overwhelm. As Paul Schimmel explains, “Murakami has created a constantly evolving character that embodies all the complexities and nuances of his ever-changing personal and corporate identity” (Paul Schimmel, “Making Murakami”, ©Murakami, exh. cat., The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2007, p. 67).
—Courtesy of Phillips