color

This weekend I visited the Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Copyright Murakami exhibit. I really enjoyed this exhibit ... maybe because I've had prior exposure to contemporary art, anime (Japanese animation), and manga (Japanese comic books), albeit not always by choice. I like how he captured the essence of anime with the bright bold colors and exaggerated expressions down to the creepy "you're being watched" feeling. He had a lot to do with how the exhibit was set up. That's what's great about contemporary art ... the artists are still alive.

Murakami works in various media, including painting, sculpture, film, and merchandise. His works blur the line between fine art and commercialism. There was a fully operational Louis Vuitton boutique inside the museum which carried purses and wallets with Murakami's designs. There's no doubt that he is a talented artist, but what makes his work more special than others? Why is he so famous? My friend reminded me that a lot of that has to do with who you know. So true. Murakami also did the animation for Kanye West's video "Good Morning," which they showed at the museum.