Provenance
Gift of Takashi Murakami, Private Collection, Brooklyn, NY
Catalogue Essay
For renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, the high art/low art binary is a foreign concept and indeed his work easily traverses this artificial divide. His collaborations with Louis Vuitton and Vans link to longstanding traditions in Japanese art especially from the Edo period (1603–1868) when wealthy patrons wore clothing by artists whose other work ranged from private art commissions to popular mass-produced prints. The pattern Murakami created for his collaboration with Vans suggests both Western vanitas imagery and Buddhist concepts of ukiyo, the floating world, where all is a merely transitory. It seems that a deeper lesson lies beneath the surface of these shoes.

©Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Artist Biography
Takashi Murakami
Japanese • 1962
Takashi Murakami is best known for his contemporary combination of fine art and pop culture. He uses recognizable iconography like Mickey Mouse and cartoonish flowers and infuses it with Japanese culture. The result is a boldly colorful body of work that takes the shape of paintings, sculptures and animations.
In the 1990s, Murakami founded the Superflat movement in an attempt to expose the "shallow emptiness of Japanese consumer culture." The artist plays on the familiar aesthetic of mangas, Japanese-language comics, to render works that appear democratic and accessible, all the while denouncing the universality and unspecificity of consumer goods. True to form, Murakami has done collaborations with numerous brands and celebrities including Kanye West, Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams and Google.
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17

Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami x Vault by Vans Slip-On LX (Skull) Blue, 2015

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Contact Specialist
Celina Ho
+852 2318 2037
EnquiriesHK@phillips.com

Tongue + Chic

Shanghai Exhibition 9 November - 13 December 2019

1
Shantell Martin
Shantell Martin x Puma Clyde Mid, 2017
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2
Shantell Martin
Shantell Martin's worn and drawn upon Converse All Stars
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3
Tom Sachs
Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yard, 2012
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4
Jimm Lasser
Jimm Lasser, Obama Force One, 2008
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5
Mache
Mache Custom Quailman Nike Air Force 1, 2015
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6
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7
Dave White
Dave White x Nike Air Max 95 Fox, 2016
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8
Dave White
Dave White x Nike Air Max 95 Rabbit, 2016
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9
Kenzo Minami
Kenzo Minami x Reebok InstaPump Fury, 2005
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10
Trevor “Trouble” Andrew
Trevor “Trouble” Andrew x Reebok Workout Plus “Untitled”, 2017
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11
Daniel Arsham
Daniel Arsham x adidas Originals New York, Past, 2017
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12
Cey Adams
Cey Adams x adidas Adicolor Hi BL2, 2006
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13
Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst x Converse (PRODUCT)RED, 2010
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14
Kerby Jean-Raymond
Kerby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss x Reebok DMX Fusion, 2018
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15
Kate Knudsen
Kate Knudsen x Reebok Freestyle, 1987
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16
Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer x KedsWhitney Champion, 2010
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17
Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami x Vault by Vans Slip-On LX (Skull) Blue, 2015
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18
Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz x Reebok Kamikaze
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19
Futura
Futura x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II, 2016
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20
José Parlá
José Parlá x Converse (PRODUCT)RED, 2011 worn by Bobbito García
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21
Dr. Woo
Dr. Woo x Converse Chuck Taylor ‘70, Spider and the Fly 2018
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Tongue + Chic

Shanghai Exhibition 9 November - 13 December 2019

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Provenance

Catalogue Essay

Artist Biography

Takashi Murakami

17

Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami x Vault by Vans Slip-On LX (Skull) Blue, 2015

Tongue + Chic

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