The works of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami have inspired
both admiration and confusion. Inspired primarily by anime,
Japanese animation, and manga, Japanese comics, Murakami's
paintings and sculptures feature bright, candy-colored
images of cartoon-like characters, with large eyes and
exaggerated body parts. His works are often decorated with
smiling flowers, round, blinking eyes, and colorful
mushrooms. Murakami's creations defy traditional
classifications, breaking down numerous barriers. He blurs
the line between so-called high art—the kinds of works
normally seen in museums and galleries—and
"low" art, like that seen in cartoons or
advertisements. He also contradicts the traditional idea of
an artist toiling away in a studio to painstakingly create
one-of-a-kind works. Murakami employs a large staff of
assistants who help him churn out his designs. Some of his
works are extremely high-priced creations intended for a
gallery or art collectors, but he also mass-produces
merchandise, such as mugs, keychains, and T-shirts,
featuring the characters he has created. Murakami is often
classified as a pop artist. Pop artists are inspired by
popular culture, choosing subjects from such sources as
cartoons, billboard advertisements, and consumer goods. He
longs for—and in large measure has achieved—a kind of
success that few artists realize: he has earned the respect
of many in elite art-world circles while also making a good
living and becoming hugely popular with the general public.
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