Tai Kwun Contemporary is proud to announce MURAKAMI vs MURAKAMI, a major survey exhibition by the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami (b. 1962, Tokyo, Japan), open from 1 June to 1 September 2019. The exhibition will explore the multifaceted universe of the cultural phenomenon that is this Japanese super-star artist. Utilising all spaces in the art galleries at Tai Kwun, this comprehensive survey will feature over 60 paintings and sculptures in a stunning, immersive setting that showcases the intriguing paradoxes embodied in the diverse work and life of Takashi Murakami.
As one of the most influential artists in the world, Takashi Murakami has the ability to amaze as well as to confound, with a particular but subtle critique of contemporary culture. He also has an uncanny knack for reaching out far beyond the realm of contemporary art to a broader mainstream audience, from fashion to cosplay to graffiti.
Curated by Gunnar B. Kvaran, director of Astrup Fearnley Museet (Oslo, Norway) and Tobias Berger, Head of Art at Tai Kwun, MURAKAMI vs MURAKAMI features divergent extremes of the artist’s oeuvre—from his large-scale post-apocalyptic works to his optimistic flower pieces to his contemplative Enso paintings, offering Buddhist visions of enlightenment. Also on view for the first time is a showcase of some of the artist’s iconic and outlandish costume designs, which visitors will experience alongside other important video works, samples of his private art collection, as well as the artist’s spectacular wall and floor art—which serves up a forceful yet complex visual impact.
“We are immensely proud to bring the first survey of Takashi Murakami’s work to Hong Kong—including the premiere showing of ‘The Birth Cry of a Universe’, a 4.5-metre-tall sculpture in the making for over 14 years, as well as presenting important parts of his private collection. The entire exhibition is a huge immersive experience that demonstrates what an incredibly intelligent and thought-provoking artist Takashi Murakami is,” says Tobias Berger, Head of Art at Tai Kwun.
Over the course of three months, Tai Kwun Contemporary will host a wide range of public programming and educational events. These will include videos by Takashi Murakami to be screened regularly on the Laundry Steps, as well as a public discussion with Takashi Murakami, Gunnar B Kvaran, and Tobias Berger. Other events include frequent guided tours, educational workshops, public talks, anime and film screenings.
A special pop-up store will also be open in F Hall Studio over the course of the exhibition, where visitors can freely enjoy neon and wallpaper works by Takashi Murakami. In many ways an extension of the artist’s intervention in a broader visual culture, the pop-up store will offer Takashi Murakami products for sale, including Tai Kwun–exclusive items made for the occasion of the exhibition.