The Tokyo-born pop artist juxtaposes ancient art, modern politics and his own cartoon logos to surprisingly anodyne effect
The Tokyo-born pop artist who has worked with Louis Vuitton, Billie Eilish et al juxtaposes ancient art, modern politics and his own logos to surprisingly anodyne effect– global brand recognition, relentless market complicity – is so synonymous with money that it is hard to look at his new show without seeing merchandise before all else. There is a vigilant bodyguard for every two paintings.
In 2002, invited to collaborate with Louis Vuitton, he wove his logos into the luxury brand’s designs for leather goods. And the trade went both ways when Murakami began to incorporate the LV monogram into his paintings. This was long beforefor Alexander McQueen. Murakami has also collaborated with Issey Miyake, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Billie Eilish, with whom heFor the art world, of course, the perception has to be different.
He can be humorous. A manga figure scoots along on a Zen cloud of shiny white acrylic. Air rises in embossed gold spirals, like super-expensive wallpaper. He does massive mythological dragons breathing multicoloured whorls that may make you think of Van Gogh’sPhotograph: © 2023-2024 Takashi Murakami/ Kaikai Kiki Co, Ltd. All Rights Reserved
But the bigger the composition, the more Where’s Wally? Murakami gets. Among scenes of water-gathering, cherry blossom viewing, warfare, dancing and courtly love, he will plant one of his dopey Mr Dob figures, such as a bug-eyed Mickey Mouse – for no good reason, or so it seems, than the teasing treasure hunt to find it.
Yet Murakami’s dragons and mythical critters are amiable to the point of pretty. His geisha has enormous manga eyes. His owl is curiously whimsical. Far from the pointed politics, or the vaunted antagonisms of his art, or even the supposed insights into art history, Murakami’s main shtick in this show is more cuteness than catastrophe. The real surprise is just how mild and anodyne these works really are.
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