Flower Ball

2002

Japanese, born 1962

Murakami’s use of spatial recession creates the illusion of a three-dimensional flower ball. Each flower is painted in different colors, as if with its own feeling and expression. The center of the flowers resembles the smiley face emoji. Takashi Murakami, a celebrated Japanese contemporary artist, is best known for his colorful pop art.

Acrylic on canvas

Diameter: 98 1/2 in. (250.2 cm)

Gift of Richard and Elizabeth Hedreen

2016.24.1

Provenance: The artist; [Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France]; sold to private collection; [Sotheby’s, New York, May 12, 2004, lot no. 3]; purchased from auction by Richard and Elizabeth Hedreen, Seattle, Washington; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2016

Photo: Elizabeth Mann

Now on view at the Asian Art Museum

Resources

Exhibition HistoryParis, France, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Takashi Murakami, June 27 - Oct. 27, 2002 (London, England, Serpentine Gallery, Nov. 2002 - Jan. 2003). No cat. no., reproduced pp. 62-63, 65, 66-67 [detail] & 112.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, May 5 - Aug. 26, 2007.

Los Angeles, California, Museum of Contemporary Art, ©MURAKAMI, Oct. 28, 2007 - Feb. 11, 2008 (Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn Art Museum, Apr. 4 - July 13, 2008). [* work did not travel to subsequent two venues: Frankfurt and Bilbao.] Text by Paul Schimmel, et. al. No cat. no., p. 304, reproduced n.p.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.

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