Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami may be famous among collectors for the psychedelic flowers and chaotic cartoons that populate his prints and paintings, but artists likely know him as the theorist behind the contemporary art movement he calls “Superflat.”
Partially inspired by the Pop art of Andy Warhol, in which celebrity culture and mundane mass-produced items became the focus of bright and colorful works that both celebrated and criticized consumerism, Murakami’s Superflat encompasses painting, sculpture, digital design and more to present a subversive look at consumerism but is also an effort to blend fine art and lowbrow culture.
A multifaceted and remarkably influential artist as well as a compulsive art collector, Murakami has collaborated with brands such as Louis Vuitton, while one of his most famous Superflat works is the teddy bear on the cover of the Graduation album by American rapper Kanye West.
In 1993 Murakami earned his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of the Arts, where he was trained in nihonga, a style of painting that originated in the late 19th century by artists who worked to preserve and promote the conventions and processes associated with traditional Japanese art. While practicing nihonga, Murakami began to realize that his beliefs didn’t align with the tradition, so his art subsequently took on a satirical feel that embodied a critique of the movement. Before long, his style took a drastic turn, embracing otaku, a rising postwar cultural phenomenon among Japan’s younger crowd who loved anime and manga. (Otaku is also integral to Superflat.)
This is when Murakami’s most well-known character, Mr. DOB, was born. This anime-inspired icon, which Americans might interpret as a cross between Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat given its pronounced ears and broad and menacing grin, was part of the artist’s endeavor to elevate the otaku subculture but also to target mass consumerism. While Murakami conceived of Mr. DOB years ahead of his 2000-era Superflat theory, there is much common ground between the two. Not unlike his other creations, Murakami’s Mr. DOB is equal parts erotic, disturbing and cartoonish — an incisive mockery of the mingling of commerce and fine art so prevalent in Japanese popular culture.
Find original Takashi Murakami prints, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
Mr. DOB Limited Edition Sculpture, Cast Vinyl, Contemporary, 2016
By Takashi Murakami
Located in Aventura, FL
Cast vinyl sculpture painted in colors. Size: 9.25 x 10.8 x 7.8 inches. Limited edition of 750. Published by BAIT × SWITCH Collectibles and ComplexCon, California with their stamp...
Paper, Lithograph, Offset
Mr. Dob
By Takashi Murakami
Located in London, GB
Mr. Dob, 2016 Edition of 750 Signature Stamped by artist's estate, Stamped by BAIT X Switch Series Mr. Dob Manufacturer ComplexCon Bait. Takashi Murakami’s Mr DOB sculpture toy is a...
Acrylic, Vinyl
$1,800
Takashi Murakami Jellyfish Eyes art toy (Takashi Murakami Luxor and Kurage-bo)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Luxor and Kurage-bo (from Jellyfish Eyes) 2014: Rare limited edition Takashi Murakami art toy. This work was produced by Murakami in 2014 and features the playful, highly decorative Luxor and Kurage-bo characters from Jellyfish Eyes (a 2013 fantasy film directed by Takashi Murakami). Medium: 3D plaster...
Plaster
Mr. DOB Gold Sculpture, Limited Edition of 250, Contemporary Art
By Takashi Murakami
Located in Aventura, FL
Cast vinyl sculpture painted in colors. Size: 9.25 x 10.8 x 7.8 inches. Limited edition of 250. Published by BAIT × SWITCH Collectibles and ComplexCon, California with their stamp...
Paper, Lithograph, Offset
$2,954
Takashi Murakami, Gargantua on Your Palm - Limited Edition Plate, Pop Art
By Takashi Murakami
Located in Hamburg, DE
Takashi Murakami (Japanese, b. 1962) Gargantua on Your Palm, 2022 Medium: Porcelain plate (fine bone china) Dimensions: 10 1/2 in diameter 26.7 cm diameter Edition of 250: Printed s...
Porcelain
Mr.DOB Figure by BAIT × SWITCH Collectibles Gold Edition
By Takashi Murakami
Located in PARIS, FR
Takashi Murakami × ComplexCon Mr.DOB Figure by BAIT × SWITCH Collectibles (Gold Edition), 2016-2017. Painted cast vinyl, cast resin polychrome sculpture 10 4/5 × 9 3/10 in 27.4 × 2...
Vinyl, Resin
'ComplexCon: Mr. Dob (Red/Blue) & Mr. Dob (Gold Edition)' (Set of 2)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in New York, NY
The specific information regarding edition will be provided at the time of sale. Please contact the seller for more details. 'ComplexCon: Mr. Dob' (Red/Blue), is a vivid and thought...
Vinyl
ComplexCon: Mr. Dob Gold Sculpture, Vinyl Paint, Contemporary, 2016
By Takashi Murakami
Located in New York, NY
The specific information regarding edition will be provided at the time of sale. Please contact the seller for more details. 'ComplexCon: Mr. Dob' (Gold), created by Takashi Murakam...
Vinyl
ComplexCon: Mr. Dob Sculpture, Red/Blue Vinyl Paint, Contemporary Art
By Takashi Murakami
Located in New York, NY
The specific information regarding edition will be provided at the time of sale. Please contact the seller for more details. 'ComplexCon: Mr. Dob' (Red/Blue), is a vivid and thought...
Vinyl
$3,950
H 24 in W 12 in D 8 in
"Juicy Juice" Pop Art Sculpture 24" x 12" x 8" inch Edition 1/1 by Kii Arens
By Kii Arens
Located in Culver City, CA
"Juicy Juice" Pop Art Sculpture 24" x 12" x 8" inch Edition 1/1 by Kii Arens ABOUT One of the most credible and influential in Los Angeles - the award winni...
Plexiglass, Mixed Media
$995Sale Price|48% Off
H 14 in W 11 in D 16 in
Figurative Sculpture of Fren and Chie, 21st Century Pop Art
By Mauro Oliveira
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
**NEW YEAR FINAL 90 DAYS SUPER SALE UNTIL MARCH 31ST** **STORE CLOSURE - UP TO 80% OFF - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT** **EVERYTHING MUST GO UNTIL APRIL1ST!** ...
Metal
$200
H 9.5 in W 7.25 in
"Portalito", Abstract Patterns, Geometric Abstraction, Woodcut Monoprint
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece titled "Portalito" is an original piece by Alexis Nutini and is made from a woodcut monoprint mounted on panel. This piece measures 7.25"h x 9.5"w. Born in Mexico City, ...
Panel, Monoprint, Woodcut
$2,500
H 15 in W 14 in D 7 in
“Glitter Balloon Pink” – Deep Acrylic Glittered Cast Wall Mount
By Plastic Jesus
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Plastic Jesus is a Los Angeles based street artist that specializes in bold stencil and installation work, inspired by world news events, society, the urban environment, culture and ...
Acrylic Polymer, Glitter
Starry Night Party - Original Wall Sculpture
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Uri Dushy's pop art piece stands out as a testament to his decades-long exploration of art's origins, blending artistic genres to forge provocative and captivating creations. This pi...
Metal
Futura 2000 'Johnny' vinyl art figure (Futura art toy mindstyle)
By Futura
Located in NEW YORK, NY
'Johnny' by Futura 2000: Futura Figurative Pop Art Sculpture. The ‘Johnny’ vinyl art figure from NYC graffiti legend Futura is inspired by a classic 80s ho...
Resin, Vinyl
$2,000
H 11 in W 5 in
Basquiat Warhol Haring Bearbrick 400%: set of 6 works (Basquiat BE@RBRICK)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jean Michel Basquiat Andy Warhol Keith Haring Bearbrick 400%: set of 6 individual works: A set of 6 unique, timeless pop art collectibles trademarked & licensed by the estates of Jea...
Resin, Vinyl
$1,250
H 7.5 in W 5.5 in
Hebru Brantley Flyboy Hebru Brantley Gaia set of 2 (Hebru Brantley art toys)
By Hebru Brantley
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Hebru Brantley GAIA (Hebru Brantley Lil Mama as Gaia) / Hebru Brantley FLYBOY: a set of 2 works: Vinyl figures: 2 individual works. c.2017 (flyboy) & 2021 (gaia). Gaia: 7.5 x 5.5 inches. Flyboy: 9 x 8 inches. Each new, never displayed; accompanied by original packaging. Published by Hebru Brantley from a limited series of unknown. Unsigned as issued. Hebru Brantley Gaia: Hebru Brantley’s ethereal art toy features his much iconic, Lil Mama character as Gaia, the fabled personification of Mother Earth. Wearing her traditional aviator goggles, Lil Mama glides on a cloud high above everyday life. Brantley has designed Gaia as an amulet that he says, will ‘…provide you and those you love with blessings and protection…’ Hebru Brantley Flyboy: Artist Statement: "Flyboy came out of characters of colour within popular culture. I hate saying “popular culture,” but it’s really popular culture. I mean you look at cartoons. You’ve got animated sponges and ducks and birds and whatever, and it’s very rare to see a popular character within any medium that is African-American, Latino, even Asian. What I wanted to do was create that, but in a space of high art and be able to have some historical context to that character. So I looked at the Tuskegee Airmen...
Vinyl
$400
H 14.5 in W 9.5 in
"Portal I", Abstract Patterns, Geometric Abstraction, Woodcut Monoprint on Panel
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece titled "Portal I" is an original piece by Alexis Nutini and is made from a woodcut monoprint mounted on panel. This piece measures 14.5"h x 9.5"w. Born in Mexico City, A...
Panel, Monoprint, Woodcut, Paper
$395
H 11 in W 5 in
Warhol Basquiat Be@rbrick 400% figure (Basquiat Warhol Bearbrick)
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Andy Warhol Jean-Michel Basquiat Bearbrick Vinyl Figures: (400% & 100%): A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat & And...
Resin, Vinyl
Keith Haring Bearbrick 400% figure (Haring BE@RBRICK)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring Bearbrick Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%): A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Keith Haring. The partnered collectible reveals...
Resin, Vinyl
$1,645
H 3.75 in W 3.5 in D 3.5 in
'Pumpkin' Yellow/Black Pumpkin Pop Art Resin Sculpture, 2016
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in New York, NY
The ’Pumpkin' sculpture is a polka-dotted painted lacquer resin collectible art object by the legendary contemporary Artist, Yayoi Kusama. Published by Benesse Holdings, Inc., Naosh...
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Acrylic
Sold
H 31 in W 8 in
Takashi Murakami Flowers Skateboard Deck (Murakami skateboard)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Flowers Skateboard Deck: A vibrant piece of Takashi Murakami wall art produced as a limited series in conjunction with the 2017 Murakami exhibit: The Octopus Eats It...
Wood, Offset
Takashi Murakami Skateboard Decks (set of 3 works)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami DOB Skateboard Deck Triptych 2018: A highly decorative Takashi Murakami skateboard set/triptych that makes for vibrant one of a kind wall-art that hangs with ease. T...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Takashi Murakami Skateboard Decks (set of 3 works)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami DOB Skateboard Deck Triptych 2018: A highly decorative Takashi Murakami skateboard set/triptych that makes for vibrant one of a kind wall-art that hangs with ease. T...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
‘Melting DOB (Ice Blue)’ Sculpture, 2022
By Takashi Murakami
Located in New York, NY
‘Melting DOB (Ice Blue)’ is a blue, white and multicolor figure, with painted Artist’s name on verso and underside. Arton Contemporary is a gallery located...
Plastic, Vinyl
Sold
H 31 in W 8 in
Takashi Murakami skateboard deck (Takashi Murakami skulls skate deck)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Skulls Skateboard Deck 2015: A vibrant, unique piece of Takashi Murakami skulls wall-art - this highly collectible limited edition Mu...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Sold
H 31 in W 8 in
Takashi Murakami skateboard deck (Takashi Murakami skulls skate deck)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Skulls Skateboard Deck 2015: A vibrant, unique piece of Takashi Murakami skulls wall-art - this highly collectible limited ed...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Gargantua on Your Palm
By Takashi Murakami
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: Murakami, Takashi Title: Gargantua on Your Palm Date: 2018 Medium: Fine Bone China Signature: Stamped on the reverse Produced by Coalition for the Homeless Edition: 250...
Porcelain
Sold
H 31 in W 8 in D 1 in
Takashi Murakami Flowers skateboard deck (Takashi Murakami flowers)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Flowers Skateboard Deck: A vibrant piece of Takashi Murakami wall art produced as a completely sold out, limited series in 2019 in conjunction with Complexcon and Ka...
Wood, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
Sold
H 31 in W 8 in
Takashi Murakami skateboard deck (Takashi Murakami skulls skate deck)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Skulls Skateboard Deck 2015: A vibrant, unique piece of Takashi Murakami skulls wall-art - this highly collectible limited edition Mu...
Wood, Offset, Lithograph
Sold
H 9 in W 7 in
Takashi Murakami DOB Figures: set of 4 works (Takashi Murakami Mr. Dob)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami DOB-kun Figure (Takashi Murakami Mr. Dob) set of 4 works: Limited edition Takashi Murakami Mr. DOB art toys featuring the artist's iconic DOB character. DOB-kun’s name, defined in his rounded ears and face, is the first three letters of an improvised phrase that is a nonsensical combination of “dobojide dobojide (why, why?)” from the Japanese manga...
Vinyl
Sold
H 9 in W 5 in
Takashi Murakami KAIKAI & KIKI (Takashi Murakami Blue Eyes art toys: set of 2)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami Kaikai & Kiki (Blue Eyes) 2019: A limited edition Takashi Murakami art toy set featuring the artist's iconic Kaikai-Chan & Kiki-Chan characters with blue eyes. Sealed in original packaging. Never displayed. Medium: Painted cast vinyl figures. Set of 2 individual works. Year: 2019. Dimensions: Kaikai: 9⅛ x 5⅛ inches (23 x 13 cm). Kiki: 8¼ x 6½ inches ( 21 by 16.5 by 10 cm). Condition: accompanied by its original packaging. All elements excellent overall condition; figures have never been opened or displayed. Each incised with the artist's and publisher's copyright stamp on the underside. Murakami printed signature on the front of each respective box. Published by Murakami's Kaikai Kiki, Ltd., Tokyo from limited edition of unknown. Holograms present as pictured on outer packaging. _ Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist known for blurring the boundary between fine and commercial art. Often categorized alongside historic and contemporary artists working in the tradition of Pop Art, such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, and Jeff Koons, Murakami's work has achieved a widespread level of fame beyond the art world. His innovative “Superflat” aesthetic—combining classical Japanese art with contemporary Japanese pop culture—has led many to consider him one of the most innovative artists working today. Exploring the links between traditional printmaking techniques and Japanese manga in postwar society, Murakami’s art acts as a cultural barometer with subversive undertones and imagery. “My aesthetic sense was formed at a young age by what surrounded me: the narrow residential spaces of Japan and the mental escapes from those spaces that took the forms of manga and anime,” he reflected. Born on February 1, 1962 in Tokyo, Japan, where he continues to live and work, Murakami has embraced commerce through the founding of Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd., an artist management agency and studio based in both New York and Munich. With his popular collaboration with the fashion label Louis Vuitton, Murakami has established himself as a pioneer of promoting art as a brand. In 2007, Murakami provided the cover artwork for rapper Kanye West's album Graduation. The artist’s work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions around the world, include those held at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Gagosian Gallery in London, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Versailles Palace. Related Categories Pop Art. Street Art. Damien Hirst. KAWS. Banksy. Japanese artists. Art toys. Disney. Mickey Mouse. Murakami DOB. Takashi Murakami Kaikai Kiki. Takashi Murakami blue eyes. Takashi Murakami Kaikai-chan. Murakami Kiki...
Vinyl
Takashi Murakami DOB figure (Takashi Murakami art toy)
By Takashi Murakami
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Takashi Murakami DOB-kun Figure: A limited edition Takashi Murakami art toy featuring the artist's iconic DOB character. DOB-kun’s name, defined i...
Vinyl