Takashi Murakami. Rakuchū‑Rakugai‑zu Byōbu Iwasa Matabei RIP
The art work titled “Rakuchū-Rakugai-zu Byōbu: Iwasa Matabei RIP” was executed in 2023-24 by Takashi Murakami. The piece is modeled on the 17th-century screen painting Rakuchū‑Rakugai‑zu Byōbu (Funaki Version) by Iwasa Matabei, and presents original depicts scenes Kyoto city and the suburbs, in a bird’s-eye view, across two six-panel folding screens.
Takashi Murakami’s version overlays his own iconography: smiling-flower figures, his character “Mr. DOB”, etc., and consciously inserts new motifs like skulls in gold-leaf clouds as memento mori, referencing Kyoto’s burial grounds.
The art work is acrylic and gold leaf on canvas mounted on wood panel. Two parts, a diptych, each approx 300 × 653.8 cm for a total length around 13.1 m.
The work was shown in the exhibition Japanese Art History à la Takashi Murakami (at Gagosian Gallery, London) and originally made for his exhibition at the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art.
Takashi Murakami is looking at the “heritage” of Japanese painting, especially the Kyoto tradition. He raises questions of continuity, mortality, the layering of tradition + pop culture, and how a modern Japanese artist can dialog with the past.
The art is on view at Naoshima New Museum of Art in Japan
ft/ Kate Zaniewska
