“When I was making my debut as an artist, I felt that it was very important that I try to combine the background of my own culture, my people, and the country into the contemporary art world. So that's how I came up with the term 'superflat.'“

- Takashi Murakami

Join us at the iconic Arlo NoMad hotel where you will learn about Takashi Murakami and create your own “Superflat” art. Then, view Murakami’s works in the lobby, on public display as part of Arlo’s Living Room Gallery series.

Drawing from traditional Japanese painting, sci-fi, anime, and the global art market, Takashi Murakami creates paintings, sculptures, and films populated by repeated motifs and mutating characters of his own creation. His wide-ranging work embodies an intersection of pop culture, history, and fine art.

Superflat, the art and cultural theory that Murakami proposed in 2000, has had a major impact on the contemporary art scene over the past 24 years. The theory has explored the essential meaning of art, not only linking traditional Japanese pictorial expression with pop culture, such as anime, manga and video games, but also considering Japanese sensibilities and aspects of society before and after World War II, along with capitalist economics, politics, and religion, all on a flattened plane. With a distinctly Japanese perspective, Murakami’s career has continually challenged and stimulated the international art scene that has the Western values as it’s de facto norm.

During this event, you’ll learn all about Takashi Murakami and his Superflat theory — then with guidance from ArtsClub’s team, you’ll create your own Superflat works in his style.

Artwork Created by Takashi Murakami: