Renowned pop artist Takashi Murakami is making another foray into the world of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) with a new exhibit at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, showcasing his process of creating original tokens from scratch. While Murakami’s colorful signature characters have adorned everything from Louis Vuitton bags to Supreme shirts and Vans skateboarding shoes, his NFT endeavors have yet to reach the same level of success as some other contemporary artists, such as Beeple. However, many believe that Murakami’s iconic flowers are on their way to becoming as influential as CryptoPunks and Bored Apes.
Murakami’s artwork, particularly his flowers, is not merely decorative but carries a deeper cultural critique inspired by postwar Japan’s otaku and kawaii subcultures, which often hide darker undercurrents. These subcultures have gained popularity in Western countries through the export of Japanese manga, anime, and video games, and Murakami’s art reflects the commercialization of these mediums. His studio operates like a factory, with 25 assistants helping meet the demand for his work.
Central to Murakami’s work is his “Superflat” theory, which bridges traditional Japanese visual culture with contemporary art and challenges the distinction between “high” and “low” art. He aims to bring NFT art into the mainstream and blur the lines between physical and digital art.
Murakami’s initial NFT launch coincided with the 2022 crypto market crash, causing the value of his tokens to plummet. He paused his sales, apologized to investors, and took a step back to refine his approach to creating digital art that matches its real-world counterparts.
In his upcoming exhibit, “Unfamiliar People — Swelling of Monsterized Human Ego,” Murakami explores the impact of digital technology on ego, self-promotion on social media, and the anonymity of online discourse. He critiques media personalities like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, whose actions have affected entire industries.
Despite past setbacks, Murakami remains optimistic about NFTs, viewing the crypto collapse as a temporary setback in the transition to a more stable era for virtual currencies. He continues to work on NFT projects to bridge the metaverse and the real world in the art scene.
The exhibit also features physical renditions of Murakami’s NFTs, including painted versions of his iconic flowers. These paintings aim to stabilize the value of his NFTs, some of which have sold for over $70,000. Additionally, a sculpture created in collaboration with RTFKT showcases Murakami’s digital avatars, reflecting the fusion of humanity and technology.
Murakami acknowledges the divide between NFT and traditional art in Western art circles, where NFT art is often dismissed as poorly executed and childish. He believes the value system of the contemporary art world needs to adapt to accommodate NFTs.
While Japan’s art culture traditionally blurs the line between high and low art, strict regulations hinder the development of the NFT market in the country. In the United States, NFTs are still recovering from the 2022 market crash, with many creators uncertain about their next steps.
For Murakami, NFTs represent an artistic experiment and a glimpse into the future of creativity and commerce. He sees the digitization of art as the realization of his Superflat theory and envisions a hyper-Superflat world emerging with the rise of the metaverse. Despite challenges, Murakami remains a pioneer in bridging the gap between physical and digital art, and he is determined to reshape the art world’s perception of NFTs.
