“Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg” at Vancouver Art Gallery is the first major retrospective of Takashi Murakami’s paintings to be shown in Canada.
Takashi Murakami, Flowers, flowers, flowers, 2010. Acrylic and platinum leaf on canvas mounted on aluminum frame. Collection of the Chang family, Taiwan © 2010 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Spanning three decades of the artist’s career—from his monumental paintings of the 1980s to new, never-before-seen works—this critical survey reveals the consistent themes and profound engagement with history that have guided the artist’s practice.
Takashi Murakami, 727, 1996. Acrylic on canvas mounted on board. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of David Teiger, 2003, 251.2003.a-c © 1996 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Tom Powell Imaging.
More than fifty paintings and sculptures in the exhibition highlight a dedication to craftsmanship and uninhibited imagination mining a diverse field of conceptual and cultural references extending from folklore to art history and popular culture.
Takashi Murakami, Embodiment of “A”, 2014. FRP, stainless steel, zelkova wood, and acrylic. Courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/New York/Tokyo. © 2014 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved Photo: Andrea Rossetti.
The exhibition takes its title “The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg” from an ancient Japanese parable, “tako ga jibun no ashi wo kurau”. It refers to a situation in which one survives for the time being by feeding on or sacrificing oneself.
Takashi Murakami, From the perceived debris of the universe, we are still yet unable to reach the stage of nirvana., 2008. Acrylic and platinum leaf on canvas mounted on wood panel / signage in gold leaf. Collection of Cari and Michael J. Sacks © 2008 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/New York/Tokyo.
The octopus eats its own leg to survive, but does so knowing the tentacle will regenerate. The phrase symbolises the cyclical nature of Murakami’s practice and the creative output of the Kaikai KiKi studio. Murakami is the octopus: he consumes history, culture and even his own oeuvre and fame to persevere as an artist.
Takashi Murakami, DOB’s March, 1995. Acrylic on canvas mounted on board. Collection of Javier and Monica Mora, Miami. © 1995 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Norihiro Ueno.
Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg
03.02.2018 – 06.05.2018
Image 1: Takashi Murakami, Tan Tan Bo Puking–a.k.a. Gero Tan, 2002, acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Private Collection, Courtesy of Galerie Perrotin, © 2002 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Discover: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/murakami/
