Takashi Murakami is a blend of Japanese animation, contemporary art, and a tripping on acid type of psychedelics. Louis Vuitton came to Takashi in order to update their brand. This is where the multicolored apparel when know today comes from. In Japan Takashi is the equivalent to what Andy Warhol was to the United States. When I arrived in Japan I often wondered what could make a grown person sit around and watch cartoons but with Takashi it seemed more artistic than childish. He gave me a new found respect for Japanese anime that I once looked down upon. Takashi is also known by many of today's youth for creating the Kanye West video "Good Morning" which is attached at the very bottom of this post. I did not want to take up to much space but you should also look up the art he created about the recent nuclear explosion in Japan.
As a Japanese, I have seen works in several exhibits. He seems to be one of a "rare" capitalist artists from Japan who adopted "factory" working strategy like Warhol and Koons. He works on a computer then "prints" his works on gallery walls using a some kind of cutting-edge devices. I don't personally admire artists whose ultimate goal is to gain capitals.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the animated commercial for Vuitton's Superflat Monogram was directed by Mamoru Hosoda who later directed Summer Wars. You will find some designs in the movie that resemble the commercial.