Image via Complex Original
Dubbed by many as “The Japanese Andy Warhol,” Takashi Murakami is considered one of the most iconic contemporary artists today. Much of his artwork has sold for millions and has appeared in many of the biggest galleries in the world. He is also credited with founding the artistic movement known as Superflat, which unites fine art with lowbrow Japanese pop.
Over the course of the past two decades, Murakami has expanded his practice beyond the art world. His resume includes designing luxury Louis Vuitton bags, hosting a weekly radio talk show in Tokyo, collaborating with famous rappers and musicians, and helping young, talented artists gain international exposure.
Today Murakami's first live-action movie, Jellyfish Eyes, is being screened in New York. In honor of this film debut, we would put together a list of 20 Reasons Takashi Murakami is the Man.
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Murakami has been compared to everyone from Andy Warhol to Renaissance masters.
Although Murakami is commonly seen as the Eastern version of Andy Warhol, using Japanese pop instead of American consumer culture as inspiration, his practice has roots in more traditional forms as well. His studio has been compared to those of Renaissance masters, with assistants and students working under the "Murakami school."
But he doesn't see himself as a modern-day Warhol because he's lacking The Factory's drug culture.
"I'm very sad to be compared with Warhol and The Factory, because I have no drugs, you know. We have no drug culture in Japan," said Murakami in an interview with Alison Gingeras of Interview magazine.
Instead, he modeled his studio off of the gigantic manga industry in Japan
All of Murakami's work is heavily influenced by Japanese culture, but so is his studio. The layout of his studio is modeled after that of an average Japanese animation studio and the studios of the manga industry. It's techniques like this that make people refer to his practice as "business art."
Murakami leads his employees in morning calisthenics everyday.
It's hard not to feel relaxed after a nice morning exercise led by part-time fitness trainer Takashi Murakami. Like many members of Japanese society, Murakami participates in what is known as radio calisthenics, warm-up exercises popular in Japan, which are broadcast on public NHK radio every morning. Murakami makes every employee in his studio join in.
He invented the Superflat art movement.
Is anything cooler than inventing your own artistic movement? Takashi Murakami is credited with founding Superflat, which refers to artwork that combines high and low, like fine art and anime, while employing flat planes of color. The innovative style has influenced other artists who have worked with Murakami, like Aya Takano and Mr.
He is the third contemporary artist and the first Japanese artist to show work at the Palace of Versailles in France.
Château de Versailles, otherwise known as Palace of Versailles, featured 22 of Murakami's pieces in a three-month exhibition in 2010. As one of the world's most historic locations, it is a high honor for any artist's work to be on-site at the Château, but one that is more often bestowed on more traditional and less controversial artists.
In 2010, the opening of Murakami's exhibit was widely condemned, and more than 11,000 people even signed petitions claiming that Murakami's show was degrading and disrespectful, according to The Guardian. Still, he was able to pull off the milestone show.
He may be the first artist to create paintings and sculptures from his archive of digital clip art.
Technology plays a big role in Murakami's creations, and because his art often features recurring images, like eyeballs, mushrooms, and flowers, his assistants keep digital files of his drawings that are easily accessible for whatever he's working on.
Murakami created his own alter ego.
A mouse-like, cartoonish creature with an oversized head that's flanked by two huge ears, Mr. DOB is one of Murakami's most popular characters and the artist's self-proclaimed alter ego. Mr. DOB has both angelic and demonic likenesses, which come from the artist's interest in exploring his own identity. The character appears in many of Murakami's paintings, sculptures, and products.
He had his own radio talk show in Tokyo.
Murakami began hosting a midnight show on Tokyo FM back in 2002. He'd been a fan of the midnight radio program in high school and was offered the chance to participate after designing a character for one of their events. Murakami is a true jack-of-all-trades, with has his hand in every possible media platform or business.
He breeds lotus plants, guppies, and beetles.
Murakami noted in an interview with Interview magazine that he's always been interested in breeding. In addition to taking care of his sprightly puppy, Pom, Murakami has lotus plants, guppies, and beetles that he's hired two animal managers to watch over for him. Exotic, yet totally cool.
He makes music videos, where he's turned celebrities like Pharrell and Kirsten Dunst into anime characters.
Murakami doesn't limit himself to a canvas, and he often enjoys working with fellow creatives. In the past, he's worked with McG, one of Hollywood's most notable commercial directors, to create a music video featuring Kristen Dunst. Most recently, Murakami teamed up with Pharrell Willliams to create a music video for the theme song to his first feature film Jellyfish Eyes. In the video, an animated version of the rapper can be seen dancing around.
He's collaborated with Kanye West.
Murakami is widely known for designing the cover art on rapper Kanye West's hit studio album, Graduation. The colorful, anime and manga-inspired artwork truly shows the artist's devotion to Superflat and Japanese culture. He also worked with Kanye on the music video for "The Good Life."
And Pharrell Williams.
Murakami appears to have a lot of friends in the rap industry, and Pharrell Williams is just one of them. The two kindred spirits have collaborated on everything from a diamond-encrusted sculpture that sold for $2 million at auction, to an animated music video for Jellyfish Eyes. The pair makes a great creative team, and we don't think this will be the last we see of the duo.
Murakami helped Marc Jacobs design Louis Vuitton handbags.
Murakami and Marc Jacobs began working together in 2002 on a line of bags featuring painted artwork over the signature Louis Vuitton logo. Then in 2008, Murakami conjured up the design for the Monogramouflage Collection, military-inspired Louis Vuitton luggage and handbags. Jacobs and Murakami's teamwork on the popular, luxury bags goes down in history as one of the best fashion collaborations of all time.
His Instagram makes us want to hang out with him.
If you ever take a look at Murakami's Instagram profile, you are guaranteed to be entertained. The notable artist posts numerous pictures of himself making wacky facial expressions and sporting unique, eccentric outfits.
He's not afraid to be controversial.
Much of Murakami's art is sexually-charged. His sculptures range from big-breasted women to other erotic figurines. One of his most well known pieces, My Lonesome Cowboy, as provocative as it is, sold for millions of dollars.
He admits to being a zombie.
At the Asia Society's Art Gala in Hong Kong in early May, Murakami referred to himself and everyone in the art world as a "zombie." Although Murakami's statement was expressing his views on the state of the art business, many were taken aback by his comment.
He believes his own artwork is way too expensive.
In a 2011 interview with Bloomberg News, Murakami said that his new art was too expensive. Although the famed pop artist was referring more specifically to his exhibition that opened at Gagosian Gallery in London, his comments showed that he does not take himself too seriously.
He sells his characters as vending machine toys.
Vending machines no longer solely dispense candy bars, cookies, and salty snack foods, at least not since Takashi Murakami got his hands on one. Consumers can find some of his most popular characters sold as tiny plastic toys in vending machines.
Murakami has helped young artists gain exposure through his company, Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.
Murakami founded Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. in 2001, and the company's key values have remained the same: produce and promote artwork, manage and support aspiring young artists. Kaikai Kiki represents several young artists including, Chiho Aoshima, Mr., Aya Takano, Chinatsu Ban, Mahomi Kunikata, and Rei Sato.
GEISAI is an art festival held twice a year in association with Murakami's company that provides young, up-and-coming artists with a venue to build a reputation on an international-scale. For more than a decade, the famed Japanese pop artist has helped give rise to other less well known, but talented artists in the industry.