Essays by Amada Cruz, Dana Friis-Hansen, and Midori Matsui
Takashi Murakami is one of the most thoughtful–and thought-provoking–Japanese artists of the 1990s. His work ranges from cartoony paintings to quasi-minimalist sculptures, giant inflatable balloons, performance events, and factory-produced watches, t-shirts, and other products, many emblazoned with his signature character, Mr. DOB. Murakami mixes and morphs images on canvases, light boxes, posters, and other media. His rich body of work reflects his voracious appetite for postwar history, art, and popular culture from Japan and the West, and has attracted the attention of the international art world.
Takashi Murakami is the first monograph about this important artist. With reproductions of dozens of Murakami’s works, insightful essays, and an exuberant Tokyo-pop design, this volume appeals to contemporary art fans as well as those interested in anime (animation films), manga (comics), and other aspects of Japanese popular culture. It was published in conjunction with the 1999 CCS survey exhibition Takashi Murakami: The Meaning of the Nonsense of Meaning.
