Murakami Takashi's first major solo exhibition in Japan in 14 years, "The 500 Arhats," will be held at the Mori Art Museum from October 31st to March 6th. A highlight of the exhibition is his monumental 100-meter-long "The 500 Arhats," one of the largest paintings in the history of art. This work, which will be shown in Japan for the first time, was unveiled in Doha in 2012 as a token of gratitude to Qatar, which provided early relief following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Over 200 students from art universities across Japan undertook the arduous task of completing the work in a short space of time. The 500 Arhats is made up of four panels named after the four deities of ancient Chinese thought—Blue Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—who govern the four directions of the four directions. The four panels express themes of religion and art, as well as human death and limitations. Also on display are Edo period painter Nagasawa Rosetsu's "The 500 Arhats," which was a major inspiration for Murakami Takashi to create his "The 500 Arhats," and Kano Kazunobu's "The 500 Arhats," which took him approximately 10 years to complete. Viewing these alongside Murakami's "The 500 Arhats" will allow visitors to sense the dialogue between Murakami and Edo period artists. Other works on display include large-scale sculptures such as "The Birth of the Universe" and "The Flame of Desire - Gold," which Murakami has been working on for approximately 10 years, as well as "727" and "Tan Tan Bo," the latest works in his signature series, created specifically for this exhibition, making their Japan debut. In conjunction with the exhibition, talk shows will be held at Academyhills and the Mori Art Museum Auditorium, featuring Tomino Yoshiyuki, the animation director who has worked on such series as Mobile Suit Gundam, art historian Tsuji Yoshio, who was one of the driving forces behind the Japanese art boom, and Genyu Sokyu, Akutagawa Prize-winning author and head priest of Fukujuji Temple. On November 4th, Murakami Takashi's directorial debut, Jellyfish Eyes, will also be screened at the Mori Art Museum Auditorium. After the screening, a talk show will be held with Murakami Takashi and Saito Takumi, who stars in the film and is the exhibition's audio navigator.
[Event Information]
Murakami Takashi: The 500 Arhats Exhibition
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Address: 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: October 31st 2015 – March 6th 2016
Hours: 10:00 – 22:00 (until 17:00 on Tuesdays, until 22:00 on November 3rd)
Admission: Adults 1,600 yen, Students (high school and university students) 1,100 yen, Children (ages 4 to junior high school students) 600 yen