takashi murakami: ego at al riwaq exhibition hall, doha, qatar

murakami – ego al riwaq exhibition hall, doha, qatar on now until june 24th, 2012

the qatar museums authority (QMA) presents ‘murakami – ego’ the first exhibition of japanese contemporary artist takashi murakami, in the middle east. its title draws on murakami’s desire to create a show that is ‘a dialogue with one’s own ego’, reflecting the artist’s struggle to create a private fictional universe in response to a growing information overload. it is the largest collection of his work ever presented to the public, showcasing his diverse practice and movement between art mediums, and the singularity of his vision. on display are more than 60 works produced by murakami from 1997 to the present, on loan from leading international institutions and private collections, as well as several new works developed especially for the show. following major retrospectives at the museum of contemporary art, los angeles, and at the château de versailles (see designboom’s coverage of ‘murakami versailles‘), ‘murakami – ego’ is the final chapter in a trilogy of exhibitions.

‘qatar museums authority is pleased to present the work of renowned japanese artist takashi murakami in doha, for his first solo exhibition in the middle east,‘ said qatar museums authority chairperson her excellency sheikha al mayassa bint hamad bin khalifa al-thani.

‘the exhibition continues to advance QMA’s mission to encourage global cultural dialogue and exchange, as well as launch the 2012 celebration of forty years of diplomatic relations between qatar and japan.’

the overall presentation depicts the portrait of the artist as a cartoon, illuminating his role as a cipher and critic of pop phenomena, as well as a mirror of global networks of consumerism, interpretation and exchange. the show pays close attention to the diverse strands of contemporary culture and art history that inform murakami’s paintings and sculptures, while also highlighting the joyful and obsessive qualities of his work.

some of the artist’s most celebrated series are amongst the pieces, including ‘kaikai kiki lots of faces’ and ‘pom and me’, which on this occasion are presented in their entirety for the first time. for ‘murakami – ego’ the artist has conceived the entire exhibition as a work of art in itself, developing new modes of displays including sculptural pedestals with digital animation, a circus tent that doubles as an indoor cinema, and a new 100-meter-long painting that wraps around the exhibition space.

the highlight is a six metre high inflatable self-portrait of murakami sitting at the entrance, welcoming visitors to the venue, appearing as a character in his own supernatural world. but, before even entering the hall, one is already hit by an exterior façade that is covered in self-portraits of the artist depicted in his signature cartoon style.

‘murakami – ego’ is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with writings and notes by the artist himself, along with an interview with exhibition curator massimiliano gioni who was recently announced as the curator the 2013 venice art biennale. see designboom’s article on his appointment here.

‘arhat painting (working title)’, 2012 acrylic and gold and platinum on canvas mounted on board 303 x 1,000 cm courtesy galerie perrotin, paris ©2012 takashi murakami/kaikai kiki co., ltd. all rights reserved. photo by gion

arhat painting (working title), 2012 acrylic and gold and platinum on canvas mounted on board 303 x 1,000 cm courtesy galerie perrotin, paris ©2012 takashi murakami/kaikai kiki co., ltd. all rights reserved. photo by gion

tongari-kun /2003-2005) with heaven’s gate (2012) oil paint, acrylic, synthetic resins, fiberglass and iron, led, plywood, steel, aluminum composite 702 x 350 x 350 cm ©2012 takashi murakami/kaikai kiki co., ltd. all rights reserved. photo by guillaume ziccarelli