Murakami: Unfamiliar People-Swelling of Monsterized Human Ego

Takashi Murakami is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his bold, colorful art that explores themes of consumerism, human fallibility, and the digital fast lane. This book features works from the past decade and includes conversations with Murakami and essays by artists and critics. The book features lavish color illustrations and a plastic jacket, dyed edges, and four gatefolds.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

One of Japan's most prominent contemporary artists, Takashi Murakami (b. 1962) is renowned for his diverse artistic practice, encompassing not only fine art but also fashion, consumer products, curation, and entertainment. As the founder of the Superflat movement, Murakami creates art that is larger than life, boldly colored, and buoyant, with a Pop sensibility that draws inspiration from anime and manga.

However, beneath the cheerful flowers and kawaii characters that have defined Murakami's career lies a darker side: the sharp-toothed, multi-eyed monsters that have increasingly become the artist's vehicle for expressing the consequences of rampant consumerism, human fallibility, and the dangers of living in the digital fast lane. This book delves into these themes through a selection of works from the past decade, offering a disquieting vision of monsterized beings born in an era of unprecedented environmental, political, and social turmoil.

In order to explore these themes further, the book features conversations with Murakami and essays by Laura W. Allen, Hiroko Ikegami, and Masako Shiba. These essays provide valuable insights into what monsters mean to the artist and offer reflections on new directions in Murakami's sculpture and the genesis of his recent NFT projects. The book also boasts lavish color illustrations, a plastic jacket, dyed edges, and four gatefolds, adding to its visual appeal.

Published in association with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, this exhibition schedule showcases the book's significance and allows art enthusiasts to experience Murakami's artistic vision firsthand. The exhibition will be held at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco from September 15, 2023, to February 12, 2024.

Weight: 1150g
Dimension: 228 x 319 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300273182