After the immense success of his last exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles last fall, the prolific Japanese artist Takashi Murakami was back in the City of Angels at the Blum & Poe gallery, in Culver City, on May 3 for the opening reception of his latest work, “Davy Jones’ Tear.”
The gallery is showing eight of his latest gigantic paintings as well as four exclusive posters from May 3 to June 14. “It’s our fifth solo exhibition with Takashi and we are glad to have him back,” said Tim Blum, co-owner of the gallery.
Murakami is one of the most productive and talented artists of the contemporary art scene. His work, inspired by the culture of Japanese cartoons or “manga,” but also mixed in a more traditional Japanese culture, reached success and is praised among collectors all over the world. Murakami’s paintings cost millions of dollars and the starting price for his new exhibition is no less than a whopping million dollars.
In an atmosphere filled with excitement, the artsy crowd of Los Angeles was able to discover the new paintings in a sensational display. Collectors were thrilled to witness what is for the artist a return to a more calligraphic and abstract representation. Three Daruma portraits depict the great sixth century sage who introduced Zen Buddhism.
“I was inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean,” said Murakami sporting his signature glasses and goatee, present that night and surrounded by tons of fans. Indeed the name of the exhibition, “Davy Jones’ Tear,” is from an adaptation of the character played by Bill Nighy in the movie trilogy: the moment when that villain reveals his inner torment while playing the organ and showing his fragility inspired Murakami.
Like Andy Warhol did in his time, Murakami is repackaging low culture and is making it art. But as Warhol was the king of Pop Art, Murakami takes it further and does not hesitate to use his art in a commercial way. Videos, t-shirts, key chains, plush dolls and even limited edition Louis Vuitton handbags are part of the artist’s world. For him, everything can be art; he just pushed what Warhol started with “popular art.” Murakami does not fear to reduce the line between art and commercial products and he is easily mixing art with merchandizing.
The highly successful collaboration with the luxury company Louis Vuitton gave Murakami an international aura. The head of the LVMH group and owner of Louis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault, being an avid art collector himself, always pushed this commercialization of the famous handbags. The cooperation between Marc Jacobs, Vuitton’s current designer, and Murakami has been more than prolific and brought a new breath to the aging brand by switching from the classic LV brown and beige monogram to a multicolored version.
Weird shaped mushrooms, smiling flowers and crazy manga characters all in vivid and bright colors of the rainbow came directly on canvas from the imaginative mind of Murakami. However, more abstract painting that night might signal a new interest of the artist in design patterns of graffiti, optical art and special effects. “I wonder if he used some spray bomb on top of his painting,” Martha Otero, a gallery owner in Los Angeles, said. Indeed, graffiti artists use widely, and sometimes wildly, spray bomb throughout the walls of the city.
No matter what, the people present that night were really enthusiastic to witness what might be a shift in Murakami’s work. He seems to have achieved equilibrium between classic and modern Japanese art where the notion of Zen is important. Indeed, even if completely packed by hundreds of visitors in the heat of the space, a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere seemed to reign that night.
In contrast to the exhibition in Culver City, the famous Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills was showing the new work of the photographer Gregory Crewdson. Unfortunately, the excitement of Murakami was not much present here and collectors did not seem to completely appreciate the pictures. It is too bad, because, technically perfect, the images were able to transmit a fantastic and dream like world.
“I like the deserted aspect of certain pictures,” said Dominique, an art collector, “but I prefer his more ethereal landscapes.” The ambience in the gallery was as cold as certain photographs and people seem to be there more for the name of the gallery rather than for the artist.
Interestingly, most people did not stay long enough to admire the work of Crewdson, but instead rushed quickly back to their cars and headed over to Murakami’s show. Many faces were at both events but seemed more excited to view the Japanese artistic creations.
Takeshi Murakami clearly stole the show that night in the art world at the Blum & Poe gallery. Everyone left at eight, when the show ended; ready to celebrate, Tim Blum and Murakami maybe more than some. “It was a great night. We sold everything,” Blum said. At one million a painting, it is a good night indeed.
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