Takashi Murakami
Japan b.1962
And then, and then and then and then and then 1994
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Diptych: 280 x 300 x 7.5cm (overall)
Purchased 1996. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation
Collection: Queensland Art Gallery
© 1994 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Takashi Murakami
And then, and then and then and then and then 1994
Takashi Murakami was one of the originators of a 'critical pop' approach to rampant consumerism, which emerged in Japan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Like his pop art predecessors of the 1960s, he uses popular culture images in a high art context. His various paintings, sculptures and commercial items reference the subculture of manga comics and anime, collectively known as otaku culture.
And then, and then and then and then and then shows Murakami's signature image, Mr DOB, a hybrid cartoon figure, which is partially based on a stylised portrait of the artist himself.
DOB is an abbreviation for 'why' and reflects Murakami's critical attitude towards the emptiness of consumer society. Its flatness references traditional Japanese painting and links his work to the two-dimensional character of much contemporary media imagery and computer graphics.
By linking introduced Western styles with contemporary media and the subculture of otaku (itself derived from the introduction of American comics), Murakami is able to reflect on issues such as the impact of technology and globalisation, and their affect on national and individual identity.
