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a close up of a panda bear sitting on top of a colorful balla panda bear sitting on top of a colorful balla picture of a wooden plate with a picture of a bear on ita painting of a bunch of flowers with different colorsthree small figurines of cartoon characters on display on a tablePhoto 6/7 du lottwo chairs and a table in a room with a painting on the wall
Premium Artcurial

62 - Takashi MURAKAMI
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Estimate €200,000 - €300,000
Sale commission
Description
Takashi MURAKAMI Panda – 2020 Acrylic and platinum leaf on canvas mounted on a wooden stretcher Signed, titled and dated on the reverse 86 x 76.5 x 5 cm Bears labels on the reverse from members of the artist’s studio Acrylic and platinum leaf on canvas, perspex box frame; signed, titled and dated on the reverse 33.85 × 29.92 × 1.96 in. Provenance: Perrotin, New York Acquired from the gallery by the current owner “Mixing all these things together to represent Japanese culture and society—that was my job.” Takashi Murakami, interview published by The New York Times Magazine in 2014 Takashi Murakami, who holds a doctorate in Nihonga painting, combines the most modern techniques with the precision and virtuosity of traditional Japanese art. Inspired by manga and kawaii culture, his irresistible world is populated by monstrous yet charming characters, mischievous descendants of myths of the past. His theory of ‘Superflat’ aesthetics, which he introduced in 2001 during the trilogy of exhibitions he curated (the title of the third instalment of which, *Little Boy*, refers to the code name given to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945), seeks to blur the boundaries between popular art and high art. His work traces the evolution of Japan’s post-Hiroshima condition and forges links between the avant-garde, manga, anime and their predecessors, the Ukiyo-e woodblock prints. The absence of perspective and the two-dimensionality of traditional Japanese art inform his work, regardless of the medium. His paintings and sculptures often feature smooth surfaces, precise outlines and repeated motifs, giving his works an almost digital appearance. This flatness, however, is not merely aesthetic: it constitutes a genuine critical language. For Murakami, ‘flatness’ also signifies the blurring of hierarchies between painting and illustration, between original artwork and derivative product, between traditional culture and mass culture, and between reality and the fictional universe. Murakami, who holds a PhD in nihonga painting, combines the most cutting-edge techniques with the precision of traditional Japanese art. Inspired by anime and character culture, his world is populated by characters both monstrous and charming, playfully portrayed as descendants of ancient myths. His theory of the Superflat aesthetic, which he introduced in 2001, seeks to blur the boundaries between popular art and high art. The Superflat movement has explored the evolution of Japan’s understanding of its post-Hiroshima social condition and the interrelationships between avant-garde art, manga and anime, and their forerunner, Nihonga. The absence of perspective and the two-dimensional nature of ancient Japanese art permeate every medium. His work has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions at museums and art institutions throughout the world. His paintings and sculptures often favour smooth surfaces, precise contours and repeated motifs, giving his works an almost digital appearance. However, this flatness is not merely aesthetic: it constitutes a genuine critical language. For Murakami, ‘flatness’ also refers to the erasure of hierarchies between painting and illustration, between the original artwork and the derivative product, between traditional culture and mass culture, as well as between reality and the fictional universe. Takashi MURAKAMI
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About the sale Interior Motives: Artcurial x Reflections
Auction location
Auction time 09/30/2026 at 5:00 PM
Lot description modified on 09/21/2026 at 4:14 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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