Takashi Murakami

Japanese contemporary artist, Takashi Murakami, is regarded as one of the most acclaimed artists to emerge from post-war Asia, known for his super flat renderings of repeated motifs and mutating characters. Blurring the boundaries between fine art and commercialism, Murakami’s oeuvre, unites elements of Japanese aesthetics with pop culture, history and fine art. 

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, from the offset Murakami was captivated by anime and manga, attending Tokyo University of the Arts to gain the drafting skills necessary to become an animator. He majored in Nihonga - the traditional style of Japanese painting - and gained a Ph.D, but grew increasingly disillusioned by its linear, highly political conventions and instead saw the liberties of more contemporary artistic styles, mediums and strategies. 

Much of Murakami’s early work shows a reaction to the state of contemporary art in Japan. ‘My Lonesome Cowboy’; his most expensive piece to date selling for $15,100,000, depicts a naked anime-inspired figure with blonde spiky hair, but was not initially well received in Japan. It was only when he received a fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council that his core concepts behind his artistic practices attracted positive critique, beginning to exhibit regularly in major galleries across American and Europe.

In 2000, Takashi Murakami published his ‘Superflat’ theory, positing that there is a legacy of 2-dimensional imagery from Japanese art history. Murakami repackages typical artistic elements considered low or subcultural into the high art market, by playing with merchandise, such as toys and t-shirts at more available and affordable prices. In 1996, he launched the Hiropan Factory, based on the atelier system, allowing him to work on a larger scale in a wider range of mediums. 

His success has been followed by long-lasting collaborations with Louise Vuitton, including producing the cover art for Kanye West’s ‘Graduation’ album.