Murakami Takashi is one of the most famous contemporary Japanese artists known for coining the term "Superflat" and creating colorful, pop-inspired paintings, sculptures, and other works featuring recurring motifs like his character "Mr. DOB", mushrooms, and smiling flowers; he aims to blend Japanese and Western artistic styles while commenting on otaku culture and sexuality.

1. Murakami
Takashi

2. Biographical Info.
• Born and raised in Tokyo
• Arguably the most famous
Japanese artist of all time
• Painter, Sculptor – But also
works in fashion, merchandise, +
animation
• Coined the term “Superflat”
• Widely considered to have
among most desired art in the
world
• “Andy Warhol of Japan”
• Incorporated his operations at
KaiKai KiKi Co. Ltd. Located in
Tokyo, NY, and LA.

3. Biographical Info. (Cont’d)
• As a child, avid follower of anime + manga
- (pg. 55 purple book)
• Attended Tokyo University of the Arts –
eventually receiving a Ph. D. in Nihonga –
but still maintained his passion for
contemporary culture
• Felt disappointed with contemporary art in
Japan – sought to create his own artistic
style
• To do this, he would first establish himself
as an artist in the Western world, then
import himself back to Japan, bringing with
him a rejuvenated art market.
• This art market would not only maintain its
“Japaneseness”, but also be valid
internationally.

4. • Artistic movement founded by Murakami Takashi, has become
an inspiration for many of today’s anime and manga artists
• The “Superflat” has also gained attention in the U.S.
• Murakami Takashi’s definition
• Another definition (pg. 71 purple book)

5. Mr. DOB
• Created in 1993
• Murakami’s primary signature
characters – others signatures
included mushrooms, smiling
flowers, Buddhist icons, sexual
complexes of otaku culture, and
more.
• “alter ego” of Murakami
• Circular head –Letter ‘D’ on left
ear, ‘B’ on right ear, face the shape
of an ‘O’ – Hence, D.O.B.
• DOB also comes from the saying
“dobojite, dobojite, oshamanbe!”
which he used in much of his work.
(pg. 31 purple book)

6. Mr. DOB (influences)
(pg. 64 purple book)

7. Do u see the influences?

8. Mushrooms!!
• Title - “Army of
Mushrooms”
• 2003
• Why Murakami uses so
many mushrooms in
his work??
• 6ft X 6ft acrylic paint
on wood canvas
• Over 400 variations of
mushrooms in his art

9. “Mushroom DOB”, 2008

10. “Mr. BIG Mushroom”, 2011
• 2011
• 83 inches
tall! :0
• Highly polished
metallic penis,
coated with
aluminum and
gold leaf
• Thoughts??

11. Smiling Flowers!!!
• 2001-2006
• Made of fibreglass,
iron, acrylic plates,
lacquer, oil paint, and
resin
• Displayed in Palace of
Versailles – A big deal
in Japan and for artists
alike!
• Over 10 ft. tall
• 3rd contemporary artist
to have work displayed
here
• FIRST Japanese artist
to ever have an exhibit
“Flower Matango” in Versailles.

12. “Flower Matango” (Brooklyn)

13. Kaikai Kiki News
• 2002
• 47in X 47in
• Named after Takashi’s
company
• Modified version
featured on Google to
celebrate the Summer
Solstice in 2011
• (pg. 148 purple book)

15. Buddhist Icons
• Oval Buddha Gold
• 2007-2010
• 22 feet tall!
• Made of bronze, gold leaf
plated
• One side features a smiling
face, and the other a more
menacing look – a feature
present in many of his
works
• Smaller silver version built
– 18 ½ ft. tall and 6,613 lbs.

17. “Dragon in the Clouds”
• 2010
• Two 60ft. gigantic
paintings – “Red
mutation”, “Indigo
Blue”
• Both comprise of 9
panels

20. Sexual Complexes of Otaku Culture
• Miss Ko2
• 1997
• Life-size (74 inches)
• Displayed in Palace of
Versailles
• Sold at auction for
$567,500!!

22. “Hiropon”
• 1997
• 81 inches
• Feature a female
anime character,
mid-skip, with
enormous
lactating breasts
forming a jump
rope
• Sold at auction for
$427,500!!
• Thoughts?

24. “My Lonesome Cowboy”
• 1998
• Definitely one of Takashi’s more
controversial pieces
• 9 ½ ft. tall
• Features a masturbating male
anime character whose semen
swirls around him like a lasso.
(pg 71 purple book)
• Sold at auction for $15.2
million!!!

26. Why is Murakami Takashi’s art so
expensive?
• As you can see from the detail of his art, the
materials are very expensive, and the labor is
very difficult and time consuming.
• His expenses are very high
• He employs about 200 people for his
operations
• He even lives in a small apartment, doesn’t
live the life of a famous artist

27. Recent Works
• In 2002 Murakami
started designing
bags for Louis
Vuitton fashion
brand
• Very expensive –
made with exotic
skins
• Designed an entire
series still available
today

28. Collaborations
In 2007, Murakami
provided cover artwork
for rapper Kanye West’s
Graduation album

29. Art for Sale, Current Exhibitions
• Much of Murakami’s artwork is for sale online (but quite expensive)
• Feb. 2012 – opened an exhibition in Doha, Qatar – Murakami-Ego
• Gagosian Gallery Exhibition in Hong Kong in 2013
• His artwork has also been, or is displayed in Rome, Brooklyn, and the
Palace of Versailles

30. Other Works
“Jellyfish”

31. Second Mission Project Ko2

32. “Mr. Pointy”

33. The End
Schimmel, Paul. Murakami . 2008. Los Angeles,
CA.