Takashi Murakami Contemporary Japanese Artist

• Born on February 1, 1962 in Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.

• Received his BFA, MFA and PhD from the Tokyo University of the Arts.

• Coined the term Superflat, which is a highly refined classical style used to emphasize modern styles on a more-or-less flat viewing plane.

• Is a multimedia artist, and has work in painting, sculpture, and animation.

• He founded the Hiropon Factory in Tokyo in 1996, which later evolved into Kaikai Kiki, an art production and art management corporation (Gagosian Gallery).

Biography

Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow, Blue and Death, 2010 Acrylic on canvas on aluminum frame 118 x 92 1/2 inches (299.7 x 235 cm) Although the skulls illustrated have a cartoon-like quality, he was able to lay them out in a visually pleasing manner.

Self-Portrait of the Manifold Worries of a Manifoldly Distressed Artist, 2012 Acrylic on canvas mounted on board 59 x 59 inches (150 x 150 cm)

Flower Ball (3-D), Kindergarten, 2007 Acrylic and silver gold leaf on canvas mounted on board 39 1/2 inches diameter (100.3 cm) One can see how Murakami earned his title as the Japanese Andy Warhol through his use of vibrant colors and repetitive uses of images and patterns (Britannica).

Oval Buddha Takashi Murakami 2007 Aluminum, platinum leaf 5680 x 3190 x 3100 mm Courtesy Blum & Poe, Los Angeles

“Superflat First Love.” Working to advertise for Louis Vuitton, Murakami uses his stylized illustrations and brings them to life through bright colors and lively animation.

Flame of Desire - Gold, 2013 *Medium to be confirmed Height: 187 inches (475 centimeters) ©2013 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Image courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles His sculptures leave viewers awestruck. They have a presence of an otherworldly variety, and gives much to ponder upon.

Red Demon and Blue Demon with 48 Arhats, 2013 Acrylic, gold and platinum leaf on canvas mounted on board Five panels; 118 1/8 x 39 3/8 inches each (300 x 100 centimeters) 118 1/8 x 196 7/8 inches overall (300 x 500 centimeters)

Pom & Me: Sprouting a Tree from My Head, 2013 Acrylic on canvas mounted on board 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 inches (100 x 100 centimeters) Comical and sometimes simple, he is able to find a happy medium between tradition and contemporary subjects.

4 Arhats, One With Four Eyes, 2013 Acrylic on canvas mounted on board 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 inches (100 x 100 centimeters) According to his KaiKai KiKi bio, “Murakami uses his deep understanding of Western art to integrate his work into its structure; working from the inside to portray ‘Japanese-ness’ as a tool to bring about revolution in the world of art.”

Reversed Double Helix, 2003 Photo by Tom Powel Organized by Public Art Fund and Tishman Speyer Properties Presented by Target Stores Courtesy: Marianne Boesky Gallery

And Then, And Then And Then And Then And Then (Blue), 1996 Acrylic on canvas mounted on board 300 x 300cm Courtesy Blum & Poe, LA

Why Look into the work of Murakami?

• He successfully made created a bridge between traditional Japanese art and modern contemporary art.

• Also made cartoon-like subjects and animation a part of the fine art world.

• He is an artist, curator, product designer, theorist, and entrepreneur (Britannica). He pushes the limits as an individual and explores the ways art can be expressed at an incredible manner.

Citation "Takashi Murakami." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia

Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2013. <http://www.britannica.com.ezproxy.library.csn.edu/EB

checked/topic/1107655/Murakami-Takashi> "Takashi Murakami." Gagosian Gallery. Gagosian Gallery, n.d.

Web. 27 Sept 2013. <http://www.gagosian.com/artists/takashi-murakami>.

"Artists: Takashi Murakami." KaiKai Kiki Co., Ltd.. KaiKai KiKi Co., Ltd., n.d. Web. 27 Sept 2013. <http://english.kaikaikiki.co.jp/artists/list/C4/>.