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Hailed as the ‘Warhol of Japan’, Takashi Murakami's artwork often evokes a feeling of a lightning bolt of modern Tokyo life—vivid, frenetic, and boldly contemporary. The present lot Untitled, features a sea of red with a congregation of skulls, showcasing Murakami's distinctive pulse of pop culture that has made him a formidable name in the contemporary art world.
Untitled embodies Murakami’s signature style: it is a flat, yet paradoxically deep canvas where each skull is tinged with the playful edge of Japan's kawaii culture. It's as if Murakami dares us to find the joy in the macabre, to see life in death, to confront our fears with a smile. The red backdrop is powerful and emotive, invoking energy, passion, and a hint of danger, making it a canvas that refuses to be ignored. Against this, the skulls pop—almost as if they're challenging the viewer to look them in the eye sockets and find their meaning. It is also a signature Murakami move: taking something infused with deep-seated cultural connotations and flipping it into something entirely new.
Detail of the present lot The skulls, with their soft edges and varying expressions and directions, create a rhythm across the deep red, a colour that can signify both life and death, intensity and celebration. It's a balancing act between the playful and the profound, the ephemeral and the eternal.
This painting is not just a remarkable example of Murakami's artistic prowess, it is a complex commentary on the cyclical nature of life and the omnipresence of death in our daily existence. It reflects a synthesis of Murakami's Superflat aesthetic and his deep engagement with socio-cultural issues that have shaped modern Japan. This piece is a profound connection to the artist's overarching narrative—a narrative that continues to define and expand the parameters of contemporary art.
He has held a solo exhibition Takashi Murakami: Unfamiliar People — Swelling of Monsterized Human Ego at Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, September 2023 - February 2024. Most recently, there is a large-scale solo exhibition of works by Murakami at Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art in celebration of its 90th anniversary. This marks his first large-scale solo exhibition in Japan in eight years.
Provenance
Galerie Perrotin
Acquired from the above by the present ownerArtist 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.
29
Untitled
signed and dated ’Takasm 2016' on the overlap
acrylic on canvas mounted on aluminium frame
141 x 120 cm. (55 1/2 x 47 1/4 in.)
Executed in 2016.
Estimate
HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
€94,600-142,000
$103,000-154,000
Sold for HK$762,000
Angela Tian
Associate Specialist, Head of New Now Sale
20th Century & Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
+852 2318 2058
AngelaTian@phillips.com
New Now
Hong Kong Auction 29 March 2024
1
Guy Yanai
Rayol Without Me
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$304,800
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2
Salvo
Agosto
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,079,500
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3
Gongkan
Through the Eyes
Estimate HK$160,000 - 260,000
Sold for HK$279,400
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4
Kasing Lung
Mon
Estimate HK$280,000 - 380,000
Sold for HK$330,200
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5
Atsushi Kaga
Lemons, Macarons and A Black Cat
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$508,000
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6
Ulala Imai
Brothers
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$215,900
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7
Ulala Imai
Butter Toast
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$215,900
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8
Gao Ludi
P18
Estimate HK$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for HK$53,340
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9No Reserve
Jing Zhiyong
Sea Breeze
Estimate HK$50,000 - 80,000 •
Sold for HK$107,950
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10
Kitti Narod
Diversity in the Pool
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$254,000
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11
Katherine Bradford
A Walk by the Water
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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12
Alex Israel
Wave
Estimate HK$300,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$355,600
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13
This lot is no longer available.
14
Jonathan Chapline
Palm Springs
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$355,600
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15
Jonathan Chapline
Digital Artifact
Estimate HK$70,000 - 100,000
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16
Eliot Greenwald
Jungle Egg 1
Estimate HK$120,000 - 220,000
Sold for HK$107,950
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17
Jenna Gribbon
Turtle Pond
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$508,000
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18
KYNE
Untitled
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
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19
Yang Hyun Jun
Adult Child (Bruce Lee)
Estimate HK$50,000 - 70,000
Sold for HK$177,800
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20
Thierry Noir
The Dance of Colour
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$177,800
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21
Roby Dwi Antono
Kira
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$444,500
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22
Mr.
Untitled
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$1,206,500
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23
Yoshitomo Nara
Untitled
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$1,905,000
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24
Ayako Rokkaku
Untitled ARP1
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$1,524,000
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25
MADSAKI
Le Reve 2
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$571,500
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26
Katherine Bernhardt
Green
Estimate HK$700,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$736,600
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27
This lot is no longer available.
28
Takashi Murakami
Untitled
Estimate HK$650,000 - 850,000
Sold for HK$635,000
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29
Takashi Murakami
Untitled
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$762,000
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30
This lot is no longer available.
31
This lot is no longer available.
32
Chiharu Shiota
State of Being (Keys)
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$571,500
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33
Lin Tianmiao
Cotton Candy
Estimate HK$350,000 - 550,000
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34
Ding Yi
Appearance of Crosses 2019-15
Estimate HK$700,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$1,016,000
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35
Zhao Zhao
Sky No. 6
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$406,400
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36
Fan Zhen
Lucky Flower
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$215,900
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37
Zhang Xiaogang
Bloodline Series No. 28
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$1,016,000
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38
Yue Minjun
Warrior No. 10
Estimate HK$240,000 - 450,000
Sold for HK$533,400
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39
Yoshitomo Nara
Untitled
Estimate HK$700,000 - 900,000
Sold for HK$1,651,000
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40
Yoshitomo Nara
Girl
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$762,000
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41
Mayuka Yamamoto
Little Owl Boy
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$406,400
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42
Yoshitomo Nara
Kitman holding ski poles (sukii-tokku wo motsu Kittoman)
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$635,000
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43
En Iwamura
Thinker
Estimate HK$70,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$88,900
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44
Javier Calleja
So it Is
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$1,016,000
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45
Scout Zabinski
Life Sung in Minor Key
Estimate HK$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for HK$99,060
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46
Peter McDonald
Party Mingle
Estimate HK$50,000 - 70,000
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47
Todd James
Neon Nighthawks
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
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48
Nicasio Fernandez
Nailed It!
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$95,250
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49
Tom Sachs
Good Bye Brother
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
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50
Joyce Pensato
Silver Clown
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
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51
Michael Kagan
Standing On The Moon
Estimate HK$150,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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52
Aboudia
Spectacle Watchers
Estimate HK$240,000 - 350,000
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53
Ryan Schneider
What Burns Never Returns
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$152,400
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54
Jordy Kerwick
Sans Cigarette
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$88,900
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55
Buyankhishig Unurbayar
Mist
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$101,600
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56
Thomas Houseago
Electric Night - Moonrise - Red Tide
Estimate HK$280,000 - 480,000
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57
Jess Valice
The Fisherman
Estimate HK$180,000 - 280,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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58
Oh de Laval
If I go to hell at least I will be with all my friends
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
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59
France-Lise McGurn
No Soul Led
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$101,600
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60
Laure Mary-Couégnias
An Hour From Paris
Estimate HK$50,000 - 70,000
Sold for HK$33,020
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61
Ma Sibo
Carrousel
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$152,400
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62
Josh Sperling
Wave #1
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$114,300
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63
Ni Zhiqi
Brick Series
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$124,460
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64
Kwon Hyun-Jin
Visual Poetry Pixel Series #696
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$95,250
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65
Kim Tschang-Yeul
Waterdrops
Estimate HK$100,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$120,650
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66
Santiago Parra
Untitled
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$127,000
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67
Antony Gormley
Breathing Room XXIX
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$127,000
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68
Antony Gormley
Mindfield I
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$88,900
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69
Joey Leung Ka Yin
Everyday Practice - Sleeping
Estimate HK$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for HK$50,800
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70
Alan Chan
WHEN I WAS 17 - No. 21
Estimate HK$30,000 - 50,000
Sold for HK$38,100
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71
José Parlá
Mono-Transfer Untitled
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
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72
Robert Nava
Pink Dragon with Clown
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$215,900
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73
Felix Treadwell
Snakeneck
Estimate HK$50,000 - 80,000
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74
Arkiv Vilmansa
HERE COMES MY DAYS IN THE SUN
Estimate HK$90,000 - 130,000
Sold for HK$114,300
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75
Mr.
We Can!
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$355,600
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76
Kasing Lung
We Create Chaos 2
Estimate HK$50,000 - 70,000
Sold for HK$63,500
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77
Michael Lau
BB - Gardener series
Estimate HK$55,000 - 85,000
Sold for HK$69,850
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78
Michael Lau
TATTO - Gardener series
Estimate HK$55,000 - 85,000
Sold for HK$69,850
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79
Aa Maan
Melody
Estimate HK$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for HK$50,800
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80No Reserve
Matías Sánchez
Pintor con sombrero de copa
Estimate HK$50,000 - 80,000 •
Sold for HK$107,950
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81
Oh de Laval
Untitled
Estimate HK$20,000 - 30,000
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