Takashi Murakami

TAKASHI MURAKAMI (Tokyo, 1962).
Superflat Museum Box Set.
Published by Kayodo, Tokyo, 2005.
Includes original box and 10 surprise boxes.
Measurements: 13 x 9 (approx.).

Takashi Murakami’s Superflat Museum Box is a collection of miniatures and shokugan-style vinyl/plastic figures (surprise-box toys) originally released in 2000 and expanded in subsequent editions, such as those for Los Angeles and New York in 2005. The complete set includes iconic characters from the Superflat movement created by the Japanese artist

Murakami is one of the most influential artists of the postwar Japanese generation. Takashi Murakami studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he earned a degree in Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting). In 1990, he entered the world of contemporary art through his classmate and friend Masato Nakamura, and in 1993 he created his alter ego, Mr. DOB. He then began to gain recognition both within and outside Japan for his unique synthesis of traditional Japanese art, contemporary Japanese trends (anime, manga, etc.), and American culture, particularly pop culture. In his work, Murakami conveys a critical view of contemporary Japanese society, the legacy of the country’s cultural tradition, its evolution after World War II, and its relationship with the Western world, especially the United States. In his writings, he coined the term “Superflat” to define his personal artistic style—a term that describes work characterized by two-dimensionality and that also critiques the very structure of art, blurring the boundaries between high and low culture. In fact, his body of work spans multiple artistic forms, ranging from painting and sculpture to industrial design, anime, fashion, and other media and merchandise associated with popular culture.