
Takashi Murakami
FLOWERBALL DISC WITH ORIGINAL DRAWING, 2007
With 12 rounded petals and smiling faces, Takashi Murakami’s flowers are celebrated for their …

A place mat designed by Takashi Murakami and given as a gift at the 2007 gala opening of the …

One of the most acclaimed artists to emerge from postwar Asia, Takashi Murakami—“the Warhol of Japan”—is known for his contemporary Pop synthesis of fine art and popular culture, particularly his use of a boldly graphic and colorful anime and manga cartoon style. Murakami became famous in the 1990s for his “Superflat” theory and for organizing the paradigmatic exhibition of that title, which linked the origins of contemporary Japanese visual culture to historical Japanese art. His output includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, animations, and collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton. “Japanese people accept that art and commerce will be blended; and in fact, they are surprised by the rigid and pretentious Western hierarchy of “high art’,” Murakami says. “In the West, it certainly is dangerous to blend the two because people will throw all sorts of stones. But that’s okay—I’m ready with my hard hat.”

With 12 rounded petals and smiling faces, Takashi Murakami’s flowers are celebrated for their display of joy and innocence. The Japanese artist’s fascination with flowers began when he worked as a school teacher in the 1980s. Every other day, the artist would buy fresh blooms for his students to practice drawing. …

A place mat designed by Takashi Murakami and given as a gift at the 2007 gala opening of the artist’s new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles
Guests attending the opening dinner—who paid $1,000 to $10,000 for a seat at the table—were allowed to take home the round fiberglass mats featuring …

One of the most acclaimed artists to emerge from postwar Asia, Takashi Murakami—“the Warhol of Japan”—is known for his contemporary Pop synthesis of fine art and popular culture, particularly his use of a boldly graphic and colorful anime and manga cartoon style. Murakami became famous in the 1990s for his “Superflat” theory and for organizing the paradigmatic exhibition of that title, which linked the origins of contemporary Japanese visual culture to historical Japanese art. His output includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, animations, and collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton. “Japanese people accept that art and commerce will be blended; and in fact, they are surprised by the rigid and pretentious Western hierarchy of “high art’,” Murakami says. “In the West, it certainly is dangerous to blend the two because people will throw all sorts of stones. But that’s okay—I’m ready with my hard hat.”