Takashi Murakami is the “Japanese Andy Warhol”, a contemporary artist whose works are popular with collectors from all over the world, and stylistically related to him are such artists as Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons.
Murakami’s works also contain a response to the so-called “sad” art of post-war Japan and to pop art that emerged in the United States at that time (homage to Francis Bacon).
Hommage to Francis Bacon
In addition, the artist enters into a dialogue with the works of traditional art. So in the work “Mister Dob” and the mosaic “Autumn” it is not difficult to see a reference to the “Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. Since 2017, the artist has also taken a great interest in street art. Now Murakami is looking for street artists and curates exhibitions of their work.
“Mister Dob” and “Autumn” mosaic
He pays special attention to the historical context. A separate layer of Murakami’s creativity is occupied by the comprehension of such events as the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the tsunami in Japan in 2011, and the accident at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. Behind the vivid, comic-like images of anime and manga characters, the artist’s reflections on the catastrophic events that influenced the attitude and culture of the people of Japan are hidden.
“Gift will gradually cover the world”
Autobiography is also inherent in this theme in Murakami’s work. After all, the artist’s mother comes from Kokura, a city that was supposed to be attacked after Hiroshima. Murakami has repeatedly argued that his life passed against the background of the experiences associated with the defeat of the country in the war. The motive of remembering and comprehending the catastrophes that befell the Japanese are through in his works. These reflections transformed into something cute, even surreal.
Smiling clouds, cartoon mushrooms, and skulls eared and toothy Mr. Dob, reminiscent of a Russian Cheburashka – at first glance, all this does not look ominous at all. However, if you take a closer look at the work. You can find a completely different meaning in these cute anime and manga characters. In their images, clouds of smoke are guessed that rose over Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the explosions and resemble in shape either a mushroom or a skull.
Time Bokan (red)
According to the artist, the “Kid” and “Fat Man”, dropped on Japanese soil in August 1945. It changed the attitude of the country’s inhabitants in many ways. They created a new visual culture. The advent of manga and anime has become a way for people to escape from oppressive reality into a completely different ideal world. Murakami dedicated this topic to the 2005 exhibition entitled “The Kid: The Art of Japanese Explosive Subculture.”
Takashi Murakami’s arts spectacular, unexpected, and non-standard. It simultaneously absorbed both the techniques of pop art. It working with images of advertising and comics and the tendencies of Japanese painting. Takashi Murakami rightfully called a national artist. Who interprets in his works the history of his country and his people.
