His current retrospective at MOCA brings smiles and wonder to visitors' faces, like a communal retour en enfance. Murakami is often criticized for his commercial approach and relentless merchandising (which is evidenced by the presence of a Vuitton store inside the show) yet all he does is bring pop art into the 21st Century. He has no other pretense than to break the boundaries between "high" and "low" art, like others have done before him. He does so proudly and openly, with no false qualms about mass-producing his work.
Murakami is a brilliant creator and artist, whose joyful blend of mangas, anime and other surrealist themes is tremendous fun.
Exhibition tours and many other goodies on MOCA's website. Reviews in LAWeekly and LAT.[update 04/16/08: Murakami is Disney, not Warhol in Slate]
illustrations: LAWeekly & Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co.
