Takashi Murakami

Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2002

Paris, Foundation Cartier pour l'art contemporain; London, Serpentine Gallery, Kaikai Kiki: Takashi Murakami, June 2002 - January 2003, p. 26
Museum der Moderne Salzberg, The Japanese Experience: Inevitable,  June - October 2002, p. 112, detail illustrated in color (another example exhibited)

This work is in very good condition overall. There are a few scattered abrasions with small areas of resultant paint loss. There are a few small spots where the paint has been retouched. The base exhibits evidence if wear and scattered scuffs.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"When I was a child I was really a big fan of Shigeru Mizuki, a manga author. He created a character called Hyakume ("Hundred Eyes") who, as his name indicates, had eyes all over his body. He was a kind of ghost. I loved him. The eyes on the figure were done in phosphorescent paint, and though we were a very poor family, my father offered me the toy. In the evening, when we came home from the public baths, we could see those eyes shining in the darkness of the house. It was as if the toy was there everyday to greet me when I came home. When I started drawing mushrooms, I remembered this character and all its eyes – I don't know why, perhaps because he too was a bit mushroom-shaped. It's a very primitive image, with no conceptual context." - Takashi Murakami (Takashi Murakami, Kaikai Kiki: Takashi Murakami, Paris, 2002, p. 81)