SNEAK PEEK
- Understanding the interests of younger generation, Takashi Murakami has entered metaverse.
- The artist is known for mixing pop artwork and Asian wonderful arts.
- Murakami will now open a special exhibition in Los Angeles featuring immersive environments.
Otherwise known for infusing pop art with Asian fine arts, Takashi Murakami’s latest exhibition is based on metaverse.
An Arrow Through History, a show at Manhattan’s Gagosian Gallery, shows the 60-year-old Japanese artist building bridges ranging from conventional fine arts to artwork NFTs and Japanese pop art.
Talking to AFP, Murakami said that youth’s obsession with screen and ignorance towards contemporary art history is a matter of concern.
He added:
They can enjoy very few things, but with the plus of augmented reality, maybe the young people open their eyes more and then step into the contemporary art scene.
In a statement from Gagosian, he said:
When I work on a creative production, I make no distinction between digital and analog. I’m always working in the context of contemporary art, and that context is all about whether I can be involved in events that manage to trigger a cognitive revolution.
Guests can indulge in the exhibition room using their telephones and stand among the digital photos of fish swimming among various bodily artworks, thanks to Snapchat and an augmented actuality filter.
Emphasizing on the Japanese culture, he said:
Japanese culture originally came from the Eurasian continent, and my concept has been to go beyond from there into the metaverse, shooting through the history of art with a single arrow.
He also mentioned that during the pandemic, going outside wasn’t easy, which added to stress. However, kids were able to enjoy VR. It was this experience only that made the artist realize that he needs to change his mind in order to gel with today’s kids. Through this show, he has taken the first step.
Murakami will soon open a special exhibition at The Broad contemporary art museum in Los Angeles, titled “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” which will include immersive environments and run from May 21 until September 25.
Art lovers can checkout Murakami’s impressive work at his official Instagram handle- takashipom.
