Takashi Murakami was born in Tokyo, Japan on February 1, 1962. Murakami knew he wanted to be an artist when he grew up and had always taken a large interest in animation and comics. He studied art throughout much of his adolescence and attended Tokyo National University and later received his Ph.D. in Fine Arts and Music. There he learned “Nihong”, or traditional Japanese painting. After his studies, Murakami moved to New York in 1994 and was exposed to, and inspired by, Western contemporary artists like Jeff Koons.

 Murakami’s style blurs the lines between “high” artworks typically seen in galleries or museums – with “low” art, such as cartoons or advertisements. Throughout the development of his career, he has come to coin his own stylistic term for his work dubbed as “Superflat”. He is often compared to Andy Warhol for his art-as-business approach, and for his factories of workers who produce, market and sell his art. Murakami style is heavily inspired and derived from anime, manga, and the Japanese concept of kawaii, or ‘cute’. 

He has collaborated with fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton, pop culture magazine Complex, and American artist Kanye West. Murakami is frequently exhibited in galleries and museums across the globe including the Palace of Versailles, Museum of Modern Art, Tate Liverpool, and more.