727999
Date2016
MediumOffset lithograph 4C process with silver
DimensionsImage: 25 3/4 × 38 1/4 inches (65.4 × 97.2 cm)
Matted: 32 × 40 inches (81.3 × 101.6 cm)
Framed: 47 × 33 × 2 inches (119.4 × 83.8 × 5.1 cm)
Portfolio/Series"727" series
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Josh and Kelley Keller.
Object number2018.15
Copyright© 2020 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
The images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextOne of the most acclaimed artists to emerge from postwar Asia, Takashi Murakami—“the Warhol of Japan”—is known for his contemporary Pop synthesis of fine art and popular culture, particularly his use of a boldly graphic and colorful cartoon style. With studios and teams of assistants in Tokyo and New York, he produces his paintings, sculptures, environmental installations, prints, multiples, drawings, media works, and popular merchandise.
Murakami became increasingly drawn to the world of manga and anime, and was fascinated by the concept of kawaii, a Japanese term that translates roughly to “cuteness.” He sought ways to incorporate these popular trends into his works to create something of lasting value. Murakami has dubbed this style “Superflat,” a tribute to Japanese visual culture and a commentary on how that culture evolved in the aftermath of World War II. The term also reflects the smashing of distinctions between fine art and commercial art, between high culture and low. Murakami told Interview, “In Japan, there is no high and there is no low. It’s all flat.”
Mr. DOB, the whimsical, sharp-toothed character riding the wave at center, is Murakami’s first signature creation inspired by the anime (animated film) and manga (comic book) characters in addition to its noticeable similarity to American cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse. His name is a contraction of the Japanese slang expression "dobojite," or "why?" and it is literally spelled out in his facial features and appendages, ensuring we recognize him despite his ever-changing appearance. Here Mr. DOB is borne on a tide of traditional Japanese forms. The wave is strongly suggestive of the well-known woodblock prints of the Japanese artist Hokusai (1760–1849). The prints for the 727 series were created from the painting of the same name.
Text written for the exhibition Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America, Rotation 8, February 15, 2020 - August 10, 2020.
