Answer

Introduction

This is rate the artist presentation focuses on Takashi Murakami, who happens to be among the contemporary artist notable for their expansive art. The areas covered in this presentation are background information about Murakami, description of Murakami’s work, discussion of how Murakami’s work fits into an art historical and social context, discussion of critical reception of Murakami’s work, and two multiple choice quiz question related to the artist.

Murakami’s Background Information

Takashi Murakami was born in 1962 to a father, who was a taxi driver, and mother, who was a homemaker (The Art Story par. 1). Murakami’s mother studied designed textiles and needlepoint, and tremendously influenced Murakami’s drive to pursue arts. His parents often asked him to write reviews on exhibitions he had witnessed, and would be made to go to bed hungry in case he declined. During his childhood, Japan established a national identity that rejuvenated the conventional Japanese culture and emphasized production on the part of its workforce as a means of competing culturally and economically with the West. As such, Murakami’s childhood activities mirrored the hybrid emphasis on Western influences and conventional Japanese culture. Examples of these activities were attending Buddhist rituals, enrolling for Japanese calligraphy education, and visiting museum exhibitions associated with masters such as Goya and Renoir (The Art Story par. 2). Nonetheless, Japanese animation, particularly the otaku culture, significantly impacted his work during his early teenage years (The Art Story par. 2).

Murakami’s Background Information (Continued)

Murakami’s interest in pursuing background art associated with animations developed in 1980 and he enrolled in nihonga department of the prominent Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (The Art Story par. 4). Nihonga is a conventional Japanese style of painting draws on Western art’s elements. Murakami completed his master’s degree in 1988 and proceeded to complete his doctoral degree in 1993 (The Art Story par. 4). During his study of the ancient styles or techniques, Murakami also devoted his time to learning animation production and advanced his contemporary art world’s knowledge by visiting exhibitions and joining a program for visiting artists in his school. In 2002, he engaged in a long-term collaboration or partnership with Louis Vuitton, which is an elite fashion brand, and this collaboration marked the beginning of his rise to fame (The Art Story par. 13). He engaged in many art-related projects including designing the character of Dropout Bear for Kanye West’s album entitled Graduation.

How Murakami’s Work Fits into an Art Historical and Social Context: Historical Context
Murakami’s art perfectly suit the historical context of the Japanese art by appealing largely to otaku followers (The Art Story par. 3).  After the culmination of World War II, Japan focused on the acceleration of its integration with the culture of the West, and local artists responded by commencing the exploration of their conventional culture. This move was also targeted at seeking a clear Identity. As such, designers commenced the employment of conventional culture as a foundation for learning the essence of Western contemporary trends and creating their own modern art works.

How Murakami’s Work Fits into an Art Historical and Social Context: Historical Context (continued)
Even though Murakami established an early appreciation of modern European art and conventional Japanese culture, the Japanese animation greatly impacted his work. As he result, he devoted majority of his work to the otaku audience, which is a subculture preoccupied with fetishistic and apocalyptic imagery.  These recurring motifs within manga and anime coincide with the refusal or inability of otaku followers to apply social skills or interact within the real world (The Art Story par. 4). Murakami himself directly associates otaku subculture with post-WWII Japanese society ((The Art Story par. 4).

How Murakami’s Work Fits into an Art Historical and Social Context: Social Context
Murakami’s art also aligns with the needs of the social context of the Japanese society or culture.  As life grows more complex and the audience or consumers become more affluent, consumption increases and aesthetics become largely generalized, which in turn makes the Japanese art world to be filled with noisy, as well as vulgar symbols (Yi-Ding 4)Therefore, in modern Japanese society, artists must settle down and make their works satisfy the tastes of the masses, leading consumer culture and fashion trends. The commercialization of art works is currently a central requirement and trend, and is considered a necessity for artist to thrive and survive, as well as remain relevant within a society where commercialism is widespread (Yi-Ding 4).

How Murakami’s Work Fits into an Art Historical and Social Context: Social Context (Continued)
Murakami has managed to break through the barriers of commercialism through innovation of his art to match the needs of current consumers. As a brand, Murakami is perceived as a Japanese fashion art talent (Yi-Ding 5). Murakami manipulates popular culture’s symbols with incredible skill, which in turn makes them clear and more accessible to international audience’s eyes. Moreover, the artist demonstrates his prowess in employing “Japanese sex” elements in pleasing the global audience (Yi-Ding 5).

Discussion of Critical Reception of Murakami’s Work
Murakami’s art work has gained widespread acceptance in Japan, especially among the otaku subculture. Moreover, his work has also gained widespread acceptance among the international or global audience. In Japan, the otaku  are attracted to his works as they appeal to their needs, particularly the employment of fetishistic and apocalyptic imagery. At the international level, the perfect integration of the Japanese contemporary art and the Western modern art has contributed to the acceptance of Murakami’s art among the global audience. Even though the comprehension of Japanese modern art remains too simplistic, the artist has skillfully and deliberately utilized market in exposing the cruel logic or sense behind the market of art, thereby stripping away art’s pretense (Yi-Ding 6).

Two multiple Choice Quiz Question Related to the Artist

Which among these Japanese subcultures of art is captured by Murakami’s art work? Answer is Otaku

1. kebana
2. Otaku
3. Ukiyo
4. Shodo
5. Which of the following aspects of art is not associated with the needs of the otaku subculture? Answer is Shodo
6. Fetishistic imagery
7. Shodo
8. Apocalyptic imagery
9. Anime
10. Conclusion
11. This is rate the artist presentation has effectively discussed Takashi Murakami by focusing on areas such as the artist’s background information, description of Murakami’s work, discussion of how Murakami’s work fits into an art historical and social context, discussion of critical reception of Murakami’s work, and two multiple choice quiz question related to the artist.