TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Multi media artist – ° 1962 Japan

When Japanese artist Takashi Murakami coined the term Superflat in 2001, he launched one of postmodern art’s most invigorated movements.

Based on the compilation and compression of centuries’ worth of Japanese “flat” art aesthetics, and inspired by the country’s distinctively unique post World War II anime and manga craze, he inspired other artists to join him in putting Japan on the art world map. Often categorized as a Japanese form of Pop Art, Superflat has become an international phenomenon, infiltrating all areas of consumer culture from high to low art.

Takashi Murakami loves all things anime and manga—so much so that he often refers to himself as an “otaku,” loosely translated as a “sci-fi geek.” It’s nearly impossible to imagine Murakami as anything but the essence of cool.