His colourful paintings and objects feature laughing flowers, mushroom clouds, Buddhist imagery, skulls, and recognizable iconographies -such as Mickey Mouse-, which he successfully merges with the familiar aesthetic of Japanese comics. By means of his stylistic choices, Murakami´s goal is to create seemingly democratic and accessible works, while denouncing the universality and unspecificity of consumer goods and culture.

“Japanese people accept that art and commerce will be blended. It certainly is dangerous to blend the two because people will throw all sorts of stones. But that’s okay—I’m ready.„

—Takashi Murakami