I’m not a huge fan of japanese animation, but I know a badass creative person when I see one. Takashi Murakami does some of the best illustrations, sculptures and anything else he can get his hands on, japanese style aside. His work is inspired by imagery of Japan’s anime (animated film) and manga (comic book) industries.
“The world of the future might be like Japan is today-superflat.”— Takashi Murakami
His nationwide traveling exhibition of Superflat, a term coined by Murakami “to describe the simplified and increasingly two-dimensional forms that have become the staple of a hip, new visual language employed by a generation of young Japanese artists” has given him superstar status in the US.
And who better to pick up the trend than fashion giant, Louis Vuitton (Click on Summer 2003 Leather goods). A collection of handbags, belts, notebooks and other fashionable paraphernalia, that even J.Lo has to be put on the waiting list, are all the rage right about now. Even the collections’ names are funky, for good ol’ Louie standards: “Cherry Blossom,” “Eye Love Monogram” and “Monogram Multicolore.” They set the mood for where these items stand, as stated on Vuitton’s site, “Between tradition and avant-gardism.”
I’m not into fashion either.
I saw the Superflat show when it was up here in Seattle at the Henry a few months ago, maybe even a year now. I was pretty excited to see it, I think in the end I was a bit let down, it seemed small to me and maybe that was just a limitation of the space. The most memorable thing for me was the giant full size Zero (WWII fighter) created out of, I think 8 1/2 x 11 glossy prints, crashed onto the floor. (Which I guess was actually by Katsushige Nakahashi, anyway.)
I guess the other pieces seemed too much like found art, or just a "artistic" recycling of objects from the culture (which was probably the point that I missed) But I do prefer the work of Yoshitomo Nara-san, ala "slash with a knife", a bit more rough I guess and maybe too rough for Louis Vuitton. That LV site is pretty interesting though, I have never been there before. The clothing line reminds me of Oilliy. Also it seems like LV is trying to give Giant Robot some competition, weird world.
On Mar.07.2003 at 04:21 PM