Takashi Murakami is one of the most prominent contemporary Japanese painters. I spoke with Toki from the podcast Japan Explained to get some insights into Murakami and how his work is a reflection of modern and traditional Japanese culture.

Takashi Murakami is well known for his Superflat artwork. The Superflat movement was named for an exhibition of Murakami's work in the year 2000. Murakami's paintings often utilize outlines and flat colors that give the work the visually flat sense similar to traditional woodcut prints. Simultaneously the Superflat movement represents a flattening of society as barriers between cultures are broken down. In this episode, we discussed Murakami's background as well as his paintings of Mr. Dobs, a recurring figure in many of his works that serves as a sort of alter ego for the artist.