Martin Lawrence Galleries Celebrates Murakami from Coast to Coast

New York, NY, May 02, 2018 -- MLG’s Spring Fling will be showing Murakami’s colorful paintings which reveal the consistent, universal themes that have guided the artist’s work. Each work of art reflects his craft and insightful engagement with popular culture, folklore and pop art style, all mixed with traditional Japanese culture. One of today’s most imaginative artists, Murakami is universally recognized for both his fine art and commercial output — including collaborations with hip-hop stars Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, as well as designs for the fashion and beauty industry with Louis Vuitton, Issey Miyake and Shu Uemura.

Takashi Murakami, Kaikai and Kiki: "Lots of Fun", offset print with cold stamp and high gloss varnishing, 26.75 x 26.75 inches Takashi Murakami, As the Interdimensional Waves Run Through Me, offset lithograph, 28 x 55 inches

Murakami was influenced by animated films (anime), comic books (manga), and global branding, and creates and adapts his recognizable characters into a style that he has dubbed “Superflat”-a tribute to the two-dimension style of classic Japanese cartoons. The theory posits that there is a legacy of flat, 2-dimensional imagery from Japanese Art history in manga and anime. 

“I am not a political artist, my target is children, I found my market, my sweet spot, Okay, this is my zone — for the kids”-Takashi Murakami

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Takashi Murakami attended the Tokyo University of Arts where he acquired the drafting skills necessary to become an animator, but eventually majored in Nihonga, the ‘traditional style of Japanese painting that incorporates traditional artistic conventions, techniques and subjects. In 1994, Murakami received a fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council and spent a year in the PS1 International Studio Program in New York City. During his stay, he was exposed to and highly inspired by Western contemporary artists and the art movement of Simulationism, which engages in a play of relationships between cells, icons and the increasing geometricization of the social space in the world in which we live. 

Murakami works have been exhibited in over 82 museums around the globe including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan Society, New York, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, Brooklyn Museum, New York, Palace of Versailles, France, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow.  Most recently his first retrospective was installed at the Vancouver Art Gallery in Canada. This summer the Fort Worth Museum of Art will host the highly anticipated retrospective Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, showcasing more than three decades of his spectacular works. 

Takashi Murakami is one of the family of superb 20th and 21st century artists, such as Warhol, Haring, Chagall, Picasso and Miró that MLG proudly offers at their fine art galleries located in nine cities including New York, New Orleans, Maui, La Jolla, Costa Mesa, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Exhibition Calendar
Martin Lawrence Galleries - Las Vegas, NV - May 1-31st
The Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 South Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV + [email protected] + (702) 991-5990

Martin Lawrence Galleries - Soho, NY - Opening Reception, Thursday, May 10, 6-8 pm, On Exhibit Through May 30th
457 West Broadway, New York + [email protected] + (212) 995-8865

Martin Lawrence Galleries - Dallas, TX - Opening Reception, Saturday, June 23, 6-8 pm, on exhibit through July 10th
13350 Dallas Parkway, Galleria Level 1, Dallas + [email protected] + (972) 546-2988

Martin Lawrence Galleries - San Francisco - June 1-30
366 Geary St, Union Square, San Francisco, CA + [email protected] + (415) 956-0345

About Martin Lawrence Galleries 

Since 1975, Martin Lawrence Galleries (MLG)-headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut with nine gallery locations nationwide including New York, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Francisco, Costa Mesa, La Jolla, Maui and online at martinlawrence.com has been assisting and advising collectors as they consider acquiring fine art. (MLG), with its unparalleled collection of treasures, specializes in unique paintings and sculptures and original limited editions by Warhol, Haring, Murakami, Chagall, Picasso and Erté. In the last 15 years, it has lent nearly 250 different artworks by 16 different artists to 32 museums around the world, and proudly publishes works by artists including Kondakova, Hallam, Bertho, Fressinier, Lalonde and Deyber. For more information visit martinlawrence.com

For further information and images contact:

Katia Graytok

[email protected]

T. 203.989.2073

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Katie Graytok
Martin Lawrence Galleries
(203)989-2073
[email protected]