The world-famous Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami will be in Buffalo at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery tomorrow (November 8) for a meet and greet to celebrate the opening of his first ever exhibition in Western New York. Tickets to the event are $20 for non-members and $10 for members.
Murakami is famous for his style he calls “superflat”, which describes both the aesthetic characteristics of the Japanese artistic tradition and the nature of post-war Japanese culture and society, and is also used for Murakami’s own artistic style and that of other Japanese artists he has influenced. In his book “Murakami-Ego” he tells a story about his mother who grew up in the town of Kokura in the Kyushu region. Apparently it was the place that the atomic bomb was going to be dropped, rather than Nagasaki, and his mother told him, “If the bomb had been dropped in Kokura, you wouldn’t be here today.” This imponderable question informs the themes of his work, while traditional Japanese classical art and modern anime themes inform its style.
He is fascinated by traditional natural Japanese motifs like “Snow, Moon, Flower” and “Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon”, and credits his Biology professor at the National University of Fine Arts and Music who “Opened my eyes to the spiral universe”. His pieces force the viewer to question human nature and how we view and perceive the universe.
He has been widely recognized for his unique take on post-modern and contemporary society. His works and exhibitions have been featured all over the world, and he has worked with fashion designers and hip-hop superstars to provide artwork and designs for their projects. His famous characters Kakai and Kiki were even featured as giant balloons in the 2010 Macy’s Day Parade in New York.
This is a rare opportunity for us in Western New York to get a first-person view of the work of one of today’s preeminent creators and should not be missed. The exhibition “Takashi Murakami- The Deep End of the Universe” runs from November 4, 2017 through Sunday January 28, 2018 at the Gallery.
Takashi Murakami- The Deep End of the Universe
Meet and Greet, November 8, 6-9:00 PM
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14222
Tickets- $10 members, $20 non-members