ARTIST IN DIGITAL MEDIA (ASIAN)

 
 Takashi Murakami was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. From early on, he was an enthusiastic follower of animation and manga (Japanese comics), and aspired to one day work in the animation industry. He attended T . U . A Tokyo University of the Arts, originally seeking acquire the drafting skills necessary to become an animator, but eventually majored in Nihonga. The ‘traditional’ style of Japanese painting that incorporates traditional Japanese artistic conventions, technique and subjects. Though he would go on to earn a Ph. D in Nihonga, he gradually became disillusioned with the field’s insular, highly political world and started to explore more contemporary artistic styles, media, and strategies. Murakami was unstatisfied with the state of contemporary art in Japan, believing it to be “ a deep appropriation of Western trends. Thus, much of his early work was done in the spirit of social criticism and satire. Efforts from this period include performance art (Osaka Mixer Project, 1992), parodies of the “message” art popular in Japan in the early 90’s (DOBOZITE DOBOZITE OSHAMANBE, 1993) and conceptual works (e.g Randoseru Project, 1991). He also began developing his own pop icon, “Mr. DOB,” which would later develop into a form of self-portraiture, the first of several endlessly morphing and recurring motifs seen throughout his work. Though he garnered attention, many of his early pieces were not initially well received in Japan.

TAKASHI MURAKAMI STYLE

BLOM & POE

DAY NINETY

SUPRISE

        Thus, he is an internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist. He works in digital fine art media such as painting and sculpture as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media like fashion, merchandise, an animation and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts. He coined the term superflat, which describe both the aesthetic characteristics of the Japanese artistic tradition and the nature of post-war Japanese culture and society. Superflat is also used as a moniker to describe both the aesthetic characteristics of the Japanese artistics tradition and the nature of post-war Japanese culture and society. Superflat is also used a moniker to describe Murakami’s own artistic style and that of other Japanese artists he has influenced. In 1994, Murakami received a fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council and participated in the PS1 International Studio Program in New York for ayear. During his stay, he was exposed to and highly inspired by Western contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons. While in New York, he established a small studio, which together with the Hiropon Factory in Japan, became the precursor to his company Kaikai Kiki. After returning to Japan, he would develop the core concepts behind his artist practice and begin exhibiting regularly at major galleries and institutions across Europe and America.