Murakami
Unfamiliar People-Swelling of Monsterized Human Ego
Edited by Laura W. Allen
Contributions by Hiroko Ikegami, Masako Shiba and Takashi Murakami
This fresh look at artist Takashi Murakami takes on the "monstrous" themes of rampant consumerism, human fallibility, and the perils of life in the digital fast lane, in works from the past decade
One of Japan's leading contemporary artists, Takashi Murakami (b. 1962) is known for a wide-ranging practice that encompasses not only fine art but fashion, consumer products, curation, and entertainment. Founder of the Superflat movement, Murakami makes art that is larger than life, boldly colored, and buoyant, with a Pop sensibility that draws inspiration from anime and manga.
But beyond the happy flowers and kawaii characters that have defined Murakami's career lurk darker manifestations: the sharp-toothed, multi-eyed monsters that have increasingly become the artist's vehicle...