Do you remember the Takashi Murakami and Kirsten Dunst collaboration (Akihabara Majokko Princess) we reported on awhile back? I figured you didn’t. Nevertheless, the video has finally found its way to the internet!
UPDATE: If the video goes down or gets pulled, just leave me a comment and I will try to find an alternative source.

23 Feb 10  /  Art  /  2 Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

So that strange Kirsten Dunst sighting in Tokyo awhile back has finally been explained. She’s apparently taking part in a new short film by Takashi Murakami and director McG entitled “Akihabara Majokko Princess”, wherein she plays the part of a “Murakami princess” singing The Vapors “Turning Japanese”.
The video is part of the “Pop Life: Art in a Material World” exhibition currently being held at the Tate Modern museum. We will be sure to publish the video whenever it inevitably makes its way to the Internet.

07 Oct 09  /  Art  /  2 Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

The Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin will present an exhibition of major and never-before exhibited works by Takashi Murakami, from September 15 to October 17, 2009 in its two gallery spaces in Paris. The exhibition Takashi Murakami Paints Self-Portraits will bring together seventeen paintings, including three monumental works, five sculptures and two films. Anyone care to fly me out there for the opening?

16 Sep 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

Interview with Pharrell Williams on his recent collaboration with Takashi Murakami for Art Basel Switzerland.

12 Jun 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

Full short film celebrating six years of collaboration between Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton. Love it. Check out the precursor to this video after the jump.

11 Jun 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

The official opening of Art Basel Switzerland kicked off with the unveiling of a collaboration between Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams, entitled “The Simple Things.” The installation showcases a collection of items “essential to Pharrell’s everyday life”, all of which have been decorated in a very Hirstolian (TM), diamond studded manner. Murakami’s contribution is a newly envisioned example of Mr. DoB, entitled “Mr Dob High On Mushrooms”, casually consuming Pharrell’s ‘everyday items’. Go here for more pictures.

09 Jun 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

AKB48 (click link for picture) is a teen-music-idol sensation in Tokyo, and our boy Takashi has been enlisted to create their album cover art; undoubtedly for a large sum of money, freshly plucked from the communal Art Tree of Money and Happiness (which is conveniently located everywhere that you are not).  Above, you can also see a clip of Murakami’s latest anime creation for LV.
The contemporary artist and occasional anime creator Takashi Murakami is illustrating the jacket for the AKB48 idol group’s June 24 single, “Namida Surprise!” Members of AKB48 [...]

07 May 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes

An art collector has filed a lawsuit against Louis Vuitton after discovering that his $12,000 Murakami prints, purchased at the MOCA exhibition of Murakami’s work, came from repurposed materials (meaning they were just reused factory Louis Vuitton matterials). The company says art’s ‘ambiguity’ is part of the ‘bargain.’
They may not have realized it, but the folks who snapped up as much as $4-million worth of limited-edition prints by artist Takashi Murakami two [...]

23 Apr 09  /  Art  /  No Comments  /  Zachary Hayes