Murakami Takashi

Having single-handedly carved out a unique niche within the international contemporary art world, Takashi Murakami has undoubtedly become one of the most pivotal artists of our generation. Earning a doctorate from Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music in 1989, where he received his training in nihonga, or 'Japanese style painting', the artist is a master of traditional Japanese compositional and material techniques, often borrowing from concepts such as what Murakami has termed Katsushika Hokusai’s #(1760-1849) “zooming in” method, as well as what he believes is the “aggressiveness” of the Momoyama period (1573-1615). Despite this link to more traditional methods, however, his entire practice can also be conceived of as an extremely modern form of Gesamtkunstwerk through the multi-faceted operations of his company Kaikai Kiki.

The importance of youth and childishness, if not childhood, is central to an understanding of Murakami’s work. Here, characters from the classic Japanese manga series Doraemon are set before a profusion of Murakami’s multi-coloured flower motif. Murakami’s fixation with Doraemon dates back to his landmark 2005 exhibition Little Boy; in the catalogue, Murakami interpreted Doraemon against the context of Japan’s recent history, comparing the plight of the character Nobita to the overall sentiment of postwar Japan. Shortly after Little Boy, Murakami was asked to contribute to the Please Make Your Own Doraemon exhibition. Later in 2017, Murakami created the main visual for the Doraemon Exhibition Tokyo at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo and designed collaborative T-shirts with Uniqlo featuring the Doraemon character. A self-described manga geek, Murakami’s aesthetic brings together high and low art, fusing the motifs and philosophies of traditional masters and commercial artwork – notably manga and anime.