Murakami exhibition, MFA

I didn't have much interest in seeing this exhibition, given all the cutesy references,  but I am so glad I did.  The artist is a product of great study, great inspiration, and a wonderful sense of humor.
I visited it twice, once with Susan and Mark Slawson, and once with Barbara,  and I found myself really impressed, one of the finest exhibits, I think, at the MFA.  The art of so many artists, and so many genres inspires Murakami, and I really admire the MFA for the incredible way they presented him, along with so much other great work to support him.  This is a long post, but I hope you will stick with it. 

A Murakami installation at the Huntington Avenue entrance.

Takashi Murakami

Transcendent Attacking a Whirlwind

This was created for this exhibit for the MFA

detail of above

Kano Eino

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons

(detail)

detail

Katsukawa Shunsho

Shakkyo, the Lion Dance

Shugetsu II

Netsuke in the shape of a badger with

distended scrotum crushing a hunter

One of the greatest works of art I have ever witnessed.

Barbara said, "Of course, you would think that!"

I couldn't stop laughing.

Kawanabe Kyosai

Hell Courtesan

detail of kimono decoration of above

Takashi Murakami

Oval Buddha Silver

About 4 feet high, silver(!) and a bit scary.

I'm not sure Buddha would have approved

Takashi Murakami

Dragon  in Clouds-Red Mutation

Soga Shohaku

Hawk

Ito Jakucho

Rakan (detail)

I absolutely love this portrait!  What finesse (and humor!)

Susan's salad at "Bravo" restaurant

Susan and Mark

Christmas at the MFA

Soga Shohaku

Dragon and Tiger

(detail)

Takashi Murakami

Impossible Aim

A very long silver painting, easily 20 feet long, with

a tiny figure at each end.

And here they are!

Takashi Murakami

Kawaii-Vacances: Summer Vacation in the

Kingdom of the Golden

The miracle of this picture is that I took it empty of distracting people

Soga Shohaku

Asahina in a Tug-of-War with a Demon (detail)

I am going to have to find out more about this artist

Takashi Murakami

"I open wide my eyes but see no scenery,

I fix my gaze upon my heart"

Barbara taking in one of the more striking images

Takashi Murakami

Enso: Hachiman-Black Circle on White

Detail:The white consists of hundreds of skulls

Soga Shohaku

Zhong Kui (shoki), the Demon Queller

Sorry I lost the title, but this in in the MFA's  permanent collection,

and is said to have had a huge influence on Murakami

If you have a chance to see this exhibition, I urge you not to miss it.

The MFA has mounted a very important show of a very important contemporary Japanese artist.