Takashi Muramaki

In the contemporary art scene, Murakami is famous for his Superflat post-modern art movement — a style that aligns historical Japanese art forms with contemporary pop culture. His art has largely been influenced by Japan’s otaku culture, a display of obsessive interest in anime and manga. This was the inspiration for sculptures such as Miss ko2 and My Lonesome Cowboy which was auctioned for US$15.2 million in 2008.

In the mid-1990s, he created Mr. DOB — a character that is today a pop culture phenomenon. Named after the Japanese slang “dobojite” meaning “why?”, Murakami created the sharp-toothed character after studying the popularity of famous cartoon icons such as Mickey Mouse, Doraemon and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Some of his works, such as the Polyrhythm and the atomic bomb themed Sea Breeze, reflect on his experiences of post-war US-Japan relations. He has collaborated with many luxury fashion brands and artists including Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. He also wrote and directed the 2013 sci-fi film Jellyfish Eyes.

Takashi Murakami created his famous cartoon characters, Kaikai and Kiki, in 2000. They are strongly rooted in Japanese cartoon style, specifically in the 'kawaii' (meaning cute) aesthetic, but they take their names from the term 'kaikaikiki'—used in the late 16th century to describe significant paintings as 'powerful and sensitive'.