Brooklyn Museum


Takashi Murakami at the Brooklyn Museum: April 5th - July 13th

Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist superstar.  His platforms range from everything from traditional to digital and crosses the boundaries of what is considered high and low art.  Look this guy up!  He has worked on pretty much everything.  Murakami has a PH.D from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he started off training in Nihonga, which is a traditional style of Japanese art dating back to the 19th century.  He then directed his interests toward the explosion of Anime and Magna.  He preferred this POP style because he said, "it was more representative of the modern day Japanese life"  


Takashi Murakami @ MOCA (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Although he is most known for his "superflat" anime and manga style art, he is also known to put his designs on commercial products ranging from soccer balls, skateboards and even limited edition Louis Vuitton handbags. 





He has even worked with Hip Hop Superstar Kanye West and his new album cover "Graduation."  Below is the original picture that inspired the album cover which was one of a series of homage to Francis Bacon.


Kanye West "Graduation" album cover by: Takashi Murakami


Takashi Murakami's homage to Francis Bacon

You have to come by and check out his huge sculptures and full room installations.  He has transformed the walls of the Brooklyn Museum with his work.  He redesigned the halls, stairways and even the window trimmings.  It kind of makes the place look like Disney World. 


Murakami Sculpture:  out of focus b/c I had to take the picture on the D.L b/c they were photo Nazi's / You have to check out the rest of the sculptures and museum design.  

They also have a Louis Vuitton Store in the middle of his exhibition to sell his limited handbags and accessories.  For those of you with some cash to spend, they have super limited signed Louis Vuitton canvases running for 6g's a pop.  If you are not looking to spend that much.  They have plenty of great cheaper things in the gift shop, so that you can take a lil Murakami home with ya. 


Takashi Murakami Louis Vuitton Store in Brooklyn Museum (Photo: Julien Jourdes for The New York Times)