Takashi Murakami — The 500 Arhats
Takashi Murakami, an internationally acclaimed Japanese artist, is often affectionately revered as the Andy Warhol of Japan. Most well-known for his character-based contemporary pop artworks, Murakami recently returned to Japan for a solo exhibition — Takashi Murakami: The 500 Arhats. Despite his fame as the founder of the “Superflat” art movement, and having had his works showcased regularly on the international stage, it has been 14 years since Murakami’s last exhibition in Japan, and is his first large-scale solo exhibition in his home country as well.
Headlined by Murakami’s famous piece, The 500 Arhats, the exhibition was held at Mori Art Museum and was open to the public from October 31 2015 to March 06 2016. The 500 Arhats (2012) is a painting inspired by the legend of 500 Arhats (disciples of Buddha who preached his teachings), a folklore which originated during the Heian period.
The magnificent piece of artwork was constructed as a token of gratitude to the State of Qatar for coming to Japan’s aid in 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck. The 3-metre high artwork spans a length of 100-metres and is divided into four sections, each focalised through various colours and artistic themes, respectively named after the Chinese guardians of the four celestial directions — Blue Dragon (East), White Tiger (West), Vermilion Bird (South) and Black Tortoise (North).
The 500 Arhats seeks to campaign the power of prayer as a personal invocation which transcends religious boundaries and differences. The artwork also explores the dichotomy between the concepts of a finite life and the idea of nature and the universe as infinite. The exhibition also showcases other Murakami artworks, including several abstract paintings and sculptural pieces. Meant to be appreciated in its entirety, the exhibition is a reflection of the gradual shift in Murakami’s artistic direction, and expresses his keen interest in exploring the use of art to understand the human condition in relation to multiple realities of the world. Audiences are also provided the opportunity to better understand the notion of human mortality through the use of art, and to examine the interconnectedness of art and religion in the current tumultuous 21st century climate.
I had the honour of being invited to preview the exhibit on its opening night, on 30th October 2015, a day before it was opened to the public. Upon arrival at the doors of the exhibition, cosplayers colourfully dressed as characters from Murakami’s works greeted visitors at the entrance, and the clashing colours of their fabrics enlivened the scene, contrasting sharply with the exhibition’s sombre mood. Fashioned in his usual eccentric manner of dressing, Murakami was duly dressed for the occasion to welcome his guests. Situated at the heart of the exhibition was The 500 Arhats exhibit, where visitors were treated to an evocative performance. Dressed as an arhat, a performing artist displayed a minimalist performance, figuratively bringing the art piece to life, essentially functioning as an extension of the artwork. The rustic performance enhanced visitors’ experiences of the paintings by evoking sentiments that lend themselves to a deeper sense of appreciation and understanding of the artwork.
The 500 Arhats is truly an awe inspiring piece of art. Its colossal size aside, the intricacy of the details designs was truly remarkable and served as testimony that much thought and work constituted the planning, sketching and eventual creation of the masterpiece. From the construction of the characters to the singular strokes, every aspect of the piece held within itself a world of historical significance. Bounded together by refined crafting and drawing skills, Murakami’s distinct artistic style manifests itself through his monumental exhibition.
In addition to The 500 Arhats exhibition at Mori Art Museum, Murakami was also running a concurrent exhibition at the Kaikai Kiki Gallery, organised and presented by Galerie Perrotin. The exhibition is also founded and owned by Emmanuel Perrotin, whom Murakami has been working closely with over the past 22 years.
The Ensō pop-up exhibition features other Murakami works which further explore the concept of Zen Buddhism. Eponymously named after the Ensō circle, the Ensō series focuses on the Ensō circle, a sacred symbol which connotes ideas of emptiness, unity and infinity in Zen Buddhism. Instead of conventionally using brushstrokes, Murakami presents his own unique technique to depict the Ensō circle. He innovatively employs the use of spray paint to create a singular deft stroke over his typical artworks of vibrant and colourful flowers and skulls, creating a searing juxtaposition. The Ensō circle employed in Murakami’s artworks is also said to be a homage to the Japanese’s tradition of minimalism.
These featured works, composed in the wake of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, also reveal the significant shift in the artistic direction of Murakami’s works. Although the vibrancy that conventional Murakami works often flaunt is still conspicuously present in the art pieces, these new pieces of art are markedly infused with elements of Zen Buddhism. Whilst The 500 Arhats explores the theme of life and death, in a similar vein, the Ensō pop-up exhibition employs the use of the stark contrast between the foreground and background parallels to depict this recurring theme that seems to be prevalent in Murakami’s recent compositions.
