HIROPON, 1997
Photo: Astrup Fearnley Museet
Above is the Japanese big breast sculpture that obsessed a world-famous American superstar enough to get in touch with its creator and come see the piece of art its natural habitat. In an interview, TAKASHI MURAKAMI describes how Kanye West, AKA Yeezy, AKA Yeezus came to his Tokyo studio and quietly snapped an amount of 100-200 photographs of HIROPON. The sculpture has a pornographic anime aesthetic and is named after the strong nervous central system stimulant Methamphetamine. According to MURAKAMI, the only thing the double Grammy Award-winning rapper, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer and entrepeneur managed to express during the intense photoshoot was “Fresh, this is fresh”. The piece HIROPON is now in Astrup Fearnley Museet as part of the exhibition MURAKAMI BY MURAKAMI.
FLAME OF DESIRE – GOLD, 2013-15
Photo: Astrup Fearnley Museet
Mid-February, art teacher Kirsten and artist Eirik came with me to the first MURAKAMI x ART NIGHT at Astrup Fearnley Museet. When we crossed the bridge over to the small island where the museum lays by the water, a massive line of people flooded out the entrance doors. After the successful arrangement, press officer at the museum, Ida Moen, could proudly inform that an amount of 1200 cocktail-sipping visitors had been there between 7 and 11 PM to enjoy art supplemented by a trendy DJ set.
My friends and I had a great time. Kirsten liked the piece That I may time transcend, that a universe my heart may unfold, 2007 that is quite discretely placed on the bottom floor. My attention was also drawn a bit extra towards that one, but I randomly meet a stylist friend of mine in front of it, and he wore a piquet matching perfectly with the style of the art piece. Anyhow, Eirik preferred a piece in the exhibition inside the exhibition consisting of art pieces by thirteen artists handpicked and curated by MURAKAMI. Actually, he chose the beautiful golden sculpture Flame of Desire, that is placed in the main space first, but I protested strongly that this was an object too perfect to hold as a favourite.
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Still Frame: Youtube
According to press officer Ida Moen, MURAKAMI is an artist that appreciates contact with his audience. His friendly openness visible in his public appearances truly supports this statement. The numerous collaborations that he has done with name-drop worthy commercial icons like Vans, Louis Vuitton and Pharrell Williams proves how far and wide MURAKAMI’s figurative principle SUPERFLAT has spread. The SUPERFLAT concept is combining a formal flatness with a complete comparison of elements in art and subculture. In the Murakami Film room, a little cinema inside the exhibition, MURAKAMI as filmmaker is represented. The music video “Kanye West-Good Morning” stands out as symbol both the SUPERFLAT concept. The collaboration is also the result of the meeting between the two artists.
Next ART NIGHT X MURAKAMI is tomorrow.
Same time and place.
Enjoy art.