Takashi Murakami
Encyclopedia
is an internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist. He works in fine arts media—such as painting and sculpture—as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media —fashion, merchandise, and animation— and is known for blurring the line between high and low art. He coined the term superflat
, which describes 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 Murakami’s own artistic style and that of other Japanese artists he has influenced.
Murakami is the founder and President of Kaikai Kiki
Co., Ltd. , through which he manages the careers of several younger artists and organizes the biannual art fair GEISAI.
and manga
, and aspired to one day work in the animation industry. He attended Tokyo University of the Arts, originally seeking to 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, techniques 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, mediums, and strategies.
Murakami was unsatisfied with the state of contemporary art
in Japan, believing it to be “a shallow 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.
and participated in the PS1 International Studio Program in New York
for a year. During his stay, he was exposed to and highly inspired by Western contemporary artists such as Anselm Kiefer
and especially the simulationism of 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 artistic practice and begin exhibiting regularly at major galleries and institutions across Europe and America.
. He felt that these had the potential to be the key elements for his work. His signature artistic style and motifs (cute/disturbing anime-esque characters rendered in bright colors, flat and highly glossy surfaces, life-size sculptures of anime figurines) derived from this strategic concept.
. The theory posits that there is a legacy of flat, 2-dimensional imagery which has existed throughout Japanese art history and continues today in manga and anime. This style differentiates itself from the western approach in its emphasis on surface and use of flat planes of color. Superflat also served as a commentary on post-war Japanese society in which, Murakami argues, differences in social class and popular taste have ‘flattened,’ producing a culture with little distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’. The theory provided the contextual background for his work and he further elaborated on it with the subsequent exhibitions, “Coloriage” (2002, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris) and “Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture” (2005, Japan Society, New York). These exhibitions helped introduce Japan’s lesser-known creative culture overseas and such curatorial projects would become an integral part of Murakami’s multifaceted artistic practice.
In accordance with the Superflat concept, Murakami’s practice involves repackaging elements that are usually considered “low” or subcultural and presenting them in the “high-art” market. He then further flattens the playing field by repackaging his “high-art” works as merchandise, such as plush toys and T-shirts, making them available at more affordable prices.
’s Studio Ghibli
. In 2001, Hiropon Factory was incorporated as Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.
, Murakami began his long-lasting collaboration with the fashion brand Louis Vuitton
. He began by contributing artwork which was used in the design of a series of handbags. The series re-envisioned the fashion house’s signature monogram and was a huge commercial success. Though he had previously collaborated with fashion designers such as Issey Miyake
Men by Naoki Takizawa, his work with Louis Vuitton won him widespread fame and notoriety as an artist who blurs the line between ‘high art’ and commercialism. It also elevated him to celebrity status in his home country of Japan.
In 2007, Murakami provided the cover artwork for rapper Kanye West
’s Graduation album and directed an animated music video for West’s song Good Morning
.
In both cases above, Murakami would later ‘reappropriate’ these projects by incorporating imagery from such projects into his paintings and sculptures, further blurring the boundaries between art and commercial branding and even questioning the existence of such a boundary.
Asked by interviewer Magdalene Perez about straddling the line between art and commercial products, Murakami responded:
Murakami has also collaborated with a wide range of creators and industries in Japan, a prominent example being the image characters he created for the press relations campaign of the major urban real estate development Roppongi Hills
.
auction house in May, 2002. One year later a second sculpture, Miss Ko2, sold for $567,500. His work has continued to rise in value and in May 2008, "My Lonesome Cowboy" (1998), an anime-inspired sculpture of a masturbating boy, sold for $15.2 million at Sotheby's
.
in Frankfurt, and lastly the Guggenheim Museum
in Bilbao, Spain. The exhibition earned wide-spread attention for, among other things, including a fully functioning Louis Vuitton boutique as one of the exhibits.
In 2008, Murakami was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People", the only visual artist included.
In September, 2010 Murakami became the third contemporary artist, and first Japanese, to exhibit his works at the Palace of Versailles
in France, filling 15 rooms and the park with his sculptures, paintings, a decorative carpet, and lamps.
In addition to large paintings such as 727 (permanent collection Museum of Modern Art, New York) and Tan Tan Bo Puking - a.k.a. Gero Tan, he has also produced sculptures, balloons, ‘all-over’ wallpaper installations, animated works, prints, posters, and assorted merchandise.
On 21 June 2011, Google
featured a doodle tagged as "First Day of Summer" which was created by Murakami. This was accompanied by a Winter Solstice doodle for the Southern Hemisphere.
Having earned success and recognition internationally, Murakami has devoted himself to nurturing and supporting the careers of a younger generation of Japanese artists. Likening the operation to that of a record label, he offers both logistic support and practical career advice. Through this endeavor, he also seeks to build an original and sustainable art market in Japan.
In 2008, Kaikai Kiki converted the basement space beneath its Tokyo office into an art gallery. Kaikai Kiki Gallery has held exhibitions not only for the artists under Kaikai Kiki’s management but also international names such as Mark Grotjahn
and Friedrich Kunath. All exhibitions are curated by Murakami.
A second Gallery called Hidari Zingaro was opened in 2010 and has now expanded to include four separate locations within the Nakano Broadway shopping mall in Nakano, Tokyo.
, and has also been held in Miami. Rather than give space to pre-screened galleries, GEISAI allows artists to create their own booths and interact directly with potential buyers.
“Homage to Yves Klein“, Galerie Perrotin, Paris , France
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Superflat
Superflat is a postmodern art movement, founded by the artist Takashi Murakami, which is influenced by manga and anime. It is also the name of a 2001 art exhibition, curated by Murakami, that toured West Hollywood, Minneapolis and Seattle....
, which describes 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 Murakami’s own artistic style and that of other Japanese artists he has influenced.
Murakami is the founder and President of Kaikai Kiki
Kaikai Kiki
Kaikai Kiki Co. is an artists' collective founded by the artist Takashi Murakami of Japan.Kaikai Kiki was originally founded to manage the many assistants employed to create Murakami's work. It gradually evolved into a collaborative vehicle for other like-minded artists...
Co., Ltd. , through which he manages the careers of several younger artists and organizes the biannual art fair GEISAI.
Academic Background and Early Career
Takashi Murakami was born and raised in Tokyo. From early on, he was an enthusiastic follower of animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and aspired to one day work in the animation industry. He attended Tokyo University of the Arts, originally seeking to acquire the drafting skills necessary to become an animator, but eventually majored in Nihonga
Nihonga
or literally "Japanese-style paintings" is a term used to describe paintings that have been made in accordance with traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques and materials...
, the ‘traditional’ style of Japanese painting that incorporates traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques 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, mediums, and strategies.
Murakami was unsatisfied with the state of contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
in Japan, believing it to be “a shallow 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.
New York
In 1994, Murakami received a fellowship from the Asian Cultural CouncilAsian Cultural Council
The Asian Cultural Council is an American non-profit organization dedicated to providing support to Asian-American cultural exchange in the areas of visual and performing arts.- History :...
and participated in the PS1 International Studio Program in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for a year. During his stay, he was exposed to and highly inspired by Western contemporary artists such as Anselm Kiefer
Anselm Kiefer
Anselm Kiefer is a German painter and sculptor. He studied with Joseph Beuys and Peter Dreher during the 1970s. His works incorporate materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac...
and especially the simulationism of artists such as Jeff Koons
Jeff Koons
Jeffrey "Jeff" Koons is an American artist known for his reproductions of banal objects—such as balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror finish surfaces....
. 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 artistic practice and begin exhibiting regularly at major galleries and institutions across Europe and America.
Strategic Approach
Murakami has expressed since early on a frustration with the lack of a reliable and sustainable art market in post-war Japan. Largely for this reason, he formulated a strategy wherein he would first establish himself in the Western art world and then import himself back to Japan, building a new type of art market in the process. In order to create something rooted in his own Japanese culture and history but still fresh and valid internationally, he began searching for something that could be considered ‘uniquely Japanese.’ After concluding that elements of ‘high’ art were confounding at best, he began to focus on Japan’s ‘low’ culture, especially anime and manga, and the larger subculture of otakuOtaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
. He felt that these had the potential to be the key elements for his work. His signature artistic style and motifs (cute/disturbing anime-esque characters rendered in bright colors, flat and highly glossy surfaces, life-size sculptures of anime figurines) derived from this strategic concept.
Superflat
In 2000, Murakami published his “Superflat” theory in the catalogue for a group exhibition of the same name that he curated for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los AngelesMuseum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is a contemporary art museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near Walt Disney Concert Hall...
. The theory posits that there is a legacy of flat, 2-dimensional imagery which has existed throughout Japanese art history and continues today in manga and anime. This style differentiates itself from the western approach in its emphasis on surface and use of flat planes of color. Superflat also served as a commentary on post-war Japanese society in which, Murakami argues, differences in social class and popular taste have ‘flattened,’ producing a culture with little distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’. The theory provided the contextual background for his work and he further elaborated on it with the subsequent exhibitions, “Coloriage” (2002, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris) and “Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture” (2005, Japan Society, New York). These exhibitions helped introduce Japan’s lesser-known creative culture overseas and such curatorial projects would become an integral part of Murakami’s multifaceted artistic practice.
In accordance with the Superflat concept, Murakami’s practice involves repackaging elements that are usually considered “low” or subcultural and presenting them in the “high-art” market. He then further flattens the playing field by repackaging his “high-art” works as merchandise, such as plush toys and T-shirts, making them available at more affordable prices.
Factory
In 1996, Murakami launched the Hiropon Factory, his production workshop, in order to work on an increasingly larger scale and in a more diverse array of media. His model inherits the atelier system which has long existed in Japanese painting, printmaking and sculpture, and is common to anime and manga enterprises, such as Hayao MiyazakiHayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
’s Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
. In 2001, Hiropon Factory was incorporated as Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.
Collaborations
In 2002, at the invitation of designer Marc JacobsMarc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs, as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997...
, Murakami began his long-lasting collaboration with the fashion brand Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
. He began by contributing artwork which was used in the design of a series of handbags. The series re-envisioned the fashion house’s signature monogram and was a huge commercial success. Though he had previously collaborated with fashion designers such as Issey Miyake
Issey Miyake
is a Japanese fashion designer. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances.-Life and career:Miyake was born 22 April 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan. As a seven year-old, he witnessed and survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He studied...
Men by Naoki Takizawa, his work with Louis Vuitton won him widespread fame and notoriety as an artist who blurs the line between ‘high art’ and commercialism. It also elevated him to celebrity status in his home country of Japan.
In 2007, Murakami provided the cover artwork for rapper Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
’s Graduation album and directed an animated music video for West’s song Good Morning
Good morning
Good morning may refer to:* a commonly used greeting.In television:* Good Morning!!! , a children's show* Good Morning , a daytime talk show...
.
In both cases above, Murakami would later ‘reappropriate’ these projects by incorporating imagery from such projects into his paintings and sculptures, further blurring the boundaries between art and commercial branding and even questioning the existence of such a boundary.
Asked by interviewer Magdalene Perez about straddling the line between art and commercial products, Murakami responded:
"I don’t think of it as straddling. I think of it as changing the line. What I’ve been talking about for years is how in Japan, that line is less defined. Both by the culture and by the post-War economic situation. Japanese people accept that art and commerce will be blended; and in fact, they are surprised by the rigid and pretentious Western hierarchy of ‘high art.’ In the West, it certainly is dangerous to blend the two because people will throw all sorts of stones. But that's okay—I’m ready with my hard hat."
Murakami has also collaborated with a wide range of creators and industries in Japan, a prominent example being the image characters he created for the press relations campaign of the major urban real estate development Roppongi Hills
Roppongi Hills
is a New Urban Centre and one of Japan's largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo.Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the mega-complex incorporates office space, apartments, shops, restaurants, cafés, movie theaters, a museum, a hotel, a...
.
Market Value
In November, 2003, ArtNews reported Murakami's work as being among the most desired in the world. Hiropon, a life-sized satirical sculpture of an anime character with gigantic lactating breasts, sold for $427,500 at Christie'sChristie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction house in May, 2002. One year later a second sculpture, Miss Ko2, sold for $567,500. His work has continued to rise in value and in May 2008, "My Lonesome Cowboy" (1998), an anime-inspired sculpture of a masturbating boy, sold for $15.2 million at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
.
Current
From 2007 to 2009, Murakami’s first retrospective ©Murakami traveled from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, to the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York, the Museum für Moderne KunstMuseum für Moderne Kunst
The Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main was founded in 1981. The museum was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein. Because of its triangular shape, it is called "piece of cake"....
in Frankfurt, and lastly the Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum may refer to:* The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, United States* The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy* The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain* The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Las Vegas, United States...
in Bilbao, Spain. The exhibition earned wide-spread attention for, among other things, including a fully functioning Louis Vuitton boutique as one of the exhibits.
In 2008, Murakami was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People", the only visual artist included.
In September, 2010 Murakami became the third contemporary artist, and first Japanese, to exhibit his works at the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
in France, filling 15 rooms and the park with his sculptures, paintings, a decorative carpet, and lamps.
Artwork
Murakami’s art encompasses a wide range of mediums and is generally described as superflat. His work has been noted for its use of color, incorporation of motifs from Japanese traditional and popular culture, flat/glossy surfaces, and content that could be described at once as “cute,” “psychedelic,” or “satirical”. Among his most famous recurring motifs are smiling flowers, iconic characters, mushrooms, skulls, Buddhist iconography, and the sexual complexes of otaku culture.In addition to large paintings such as 727 (permanent collection Museum of Modern Art, New York) and Tan Tan Bo Puking - a.k.a. Gero Tan, he has also produced sculptures, balloons, ‘all-over’ wallpaper installations, animated works, prints, posters, and assorted merchandise.
On 21 June 2011, Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
featured a doodle tagged as "First Day of Summer" which was created by Murakami. This was accompanied by a Winter Solstice doodle for the Southern Hemisphere.
Kaikai Kiki and Artist Management
Murakami has incorporated his operations as Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. in Japan (2001), Kaikai Kiki New York, LLC in New York (2001), and Kaikai Kiki LA, LLC in Los Angeles (2010). Kaikai Kiki executes Murakami’s wide range of artistic endeavors and consists of both offices and production studios. In addition to handling the production and promotion of Murakami’s artwork and projects, the company manages the careers of select young artists, organizes international art projects, produces and promotes merchandise, and handles the organization and operation of the GEISAI art fair.Having earned success and recognition internationally, Murakami has devoted himself to nurturing and supporting the careers of a younger generation of Japanese artists. Likening the operation to that of a record label, he offers both logistic support and practical career advice. Through this endeavor, he also seeks to build an original and sustainable art market in Japan.
In 2008, Kaikai Kiki converted the basement space beneath its Tokyo office into an art gallery. Kaikai Kiki Gallery has held exhibitions not only for the artists under Kaikai Kiki’s management but also international names such as Mark Grotjahn
Mark Grotjahn
Mark Grotjahn is an American painter best known for abstract work and bold geometric paintings. Grotjahn lives and works in Los Angeles.-Early life and education:...
and Friedrich Kunath. All exhibitions are curated by Murakami.
A second Gallery called Hidari Zingaro was opened in 2010 and has now expanded to include four separate locations within the Nakano Broadway shopping mall in Nakano, Tokyo.
GEISAI
Since 2002, Murakami has been organizing a unique direct-participatory art fair called GEISAI. GEISAI is held twice a year, currently once in Tokyo and once in TaipeiTaipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, and has also been held in Miami. Rather than give space to pre-screened galleries, GEISAI allows artists to create their own booths and interact directly with potential buyers.
Books
- Murakami, Takashi "Geijutsu Kigyoron" ISBN 9784344011786
- Murakami, Takashi "Geijutsu Tosoron" ISBN 978-4344019126
- Murakami, Takashi "Summon Monsters? Open The Door? Heal? Or Die?" ISBN 978-4939148033
- Murakami, Takashi "Superflat" ISBN 978-4944079209
- Murakami, Takashi "Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subculture" ISBN 978-0300102857
- Cruz, Amanda/Friis-Hansen, Dana/Matsui, Midori "Takashi Murakami: The Meaning of the Nonsense of the Meaning" ISBN 978-0810967021
- Schimmel, Paul "©Murakami" ISBN 978-0847830039
- Le Bon, Laurent "Murakami Versailles" ISBN 978-2915173727
Exhibitions
2011- "Beyond Limits", Chatsworth, England
“Homage to Yves Klein“, Galerie Perrotin, Paris , France
- “A History of Editions“, Galerie Perrotin, Paris , France
- “Solo Exhibition” Gagosian Gallery, London, England
2010
- “Solo Exhibition” Gagosian Gallery, Rome, Italy
- “MURAKAMI VERSAILLES” Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France
2009
- “I Love Prints and So I Make Them” ARKI Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
- “I Love Prints and So I Make Them” Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- “Takashi Murakami Paints Self Portraits” Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- “©MURAKAMI” Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
2008
- “Davy Jone’s Tear,” Blum & Poe, Los Angeles, CA
- “©MURAKAMI”Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany
- “Takashi Murakami: Prints "My First Art" Series, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo
2007
- “©MURAKAMI” Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
- “Tranquility of the heart, torment of the flesh ― open wide the eye of the heart, and nothing is invisible”
2006
- “The Pressure Point of Painting“, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
2005
- “Opening of Gallery Extension“, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
- “Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Pop Culture“, Japan Society, New York,USA
- “Outdoor Banner Installation“, Public Art Fund, New York, USA
2004
- “Funny Cuts“, Stuttgart Museum of Art, Stuttgart, Germany
- “Takashi Murakami: Inochi“, Blum & Poe Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2003
- “Superflat Monogram“, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- “Superflat Monogram“, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA
- “Double Helix Reversal“, Rockefeller Center, New York, USA
2002
- “Kawaii“, Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris, France; Serpentine Gallery, London, UK
2001
- “Wink“, Grand Central Station, New York, USA
- “Mushroom“, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA
- “KaiKai KiKi“, Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- “Summon monsters ? open the door? heal? or die ?“, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- “Takashi Murakami: Made in Japan“, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
2000
- “727“, Blum & Poe Gallery, Santa Monica, California, USA
- “Second mission Project KO2“, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA
- “Kaikai Kiki :Superflat“, Issey Miyake for Men, Tokyo, Japan
1999
- “DOB in the strange forest“, Nagoya Parco Gallery, Japan
- “Patron“, Marunuma Art Park Gallery, Japan
- “Second Mission PROJECT KO2“, Hiropon Factory, Japan
- “Dob's Adventures in Wonderland“, Parco Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- “The Meaning of the Nonsense of the Meaning“, Center for Curatorial Studies Museum, Bart College, New York, USA
- “Superflat“, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA
- “Love & DOB“, Gallery KOTO, Okayama, Japan
1998
- “Hiropon Project KoKo_Pity Sakurako Jet Airplane Nos. 1-6“, Feature Inc., New York USA
- “Back Beat : Super Flat“, Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- “My Lonesome Cowboy“, Blum & Poe Gallery, Santa Monica, California, USA
- “Moreover, DOB raises his hand“, Sagacho bis, Tokyo, Japan
1997
- Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- Blum & Poe Gallery, Santa Monica, California, USA
- Galerie Koto, Okayama, Japan
- “The Other Side of a Flash of Light“, HAP Art Space, Hiroshima, Japan
1996
- “727“, Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- “727“, Aoi Gallery Osaka, Japan
- “Feature Inc.“, New York, USA
- Gavin Brown's Enterprise, New York, USA
- Galerie Koto, Okayama, Japan
- “Konnichiwa, Mr. DOB“, Kirin Art Plaza, Osaka, Japan
- “A Very Merry Unbirthday, To You, To Me!“, Ginza Komatsu, Tokyo, Japan
1995
- Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France
- “NIJI (Rainbow)“, Gallery Koto, Okayama, Japan
- “Crasy Z“, SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan
- “Mr. Doomsday Balloon“, Yngtingagatan 1, Stockholm, Suède
1994
- “Fujisan“, Gallery Koto, Okayama, Japan
- “Which is tommorow ? - Fall in love -“, SCAI The Bathhouse, Shiraishi Contemporary Art, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
- “Azami Kikyo, Ominaeshi“, Gallery Aoi, Osaka, Japan
- “A Romantic Evening“, Gallery Cellar, Nagoya, Japan
1993
- “A Very Merry Unbirthday !“, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima,
Japan
- Gallery Nasubi, Tokyo, Japan
- “A Romantic Evening“, Gallery Cellar, Nagoya, Japan 1992
- “Wild Wild“, Röntgen Kunst Institut, Tokyo, Japan
- “NICAF'92“, Shirashi Contemporary Art Inc., Yokohama, Japan
1991
- Art Gallery at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Tokyo, Japan
- Galerie Aoi, Osaka, Japan
- “One Night Exhibition, 23rd August“, Röntgen Kunst Institut, Tokyo, Japan
- “I Am Againt Being For It“, Galerie Aries, Tokyo, Japan
- Hosomi Contemporary Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1989
- “Exhibition L'Espoir : Takashi Murakami“, Galerie Ginza Surugadai, Tokyo, Japan
- “Takashi Murakami : New Works“, Café Tiens!, Tokyo, Japan