Takashi Murakami

© 2004 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. Photo by Fanis Vlastaras & Rebecca Constantopoulou

Takashi Murakami, "Inochi" (2004)

© 2006 Mahomi Kunikata/Kaikai Kiki Co.

Takashi Murakami, "Momo Tomomatsu-chan and Gohyagohya-san" (2006)

Takashi Murakami Takashi Murakami: Jellyfish Eyes Dasha, Gaga, and Gago Party for MOCA Crazy for Koons A Showdown for Doig at Christie’s In the Right Circles Murakami's Geisai Fair Moves from Miami to Taiwan Blum & Poe Times Four

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Also, it might be a Japanese characteristic, but I’m not a solitary person. I like the dynamics of a group working together towards a single goal. The eclectic mash of individual egos, brains and wills leading to harmony and discord is an exciting force to work with, and it helps me be creative.

What’s your relationship with the artists in your studio? In addition to collaborating with you on your work, do they produce their own? How much inspiration do you receive from them? How much teaching/mentoring of them do you engage in?

The relationship is one of mutual inspiration. The artists in my studio help me work on my work, and I help them work on theirs. The extent of feedback that I give depends on the situation. Specifically, Kaikai Kiki represents the work of six exhibiting artists besides myself. These artists are all actively involved in their own work, although three of them are also regular employees of the company, which means they also have management positions.

Why do you do so much work promoting emerging Japanese artists—and as an experienced artist, what do you feel it’s important to teach them?

I like the gambling aspect of working with young artists. With the right combination of talent and guidance, you can really hit the jackpot. I would say that my biggest concern for young artists is their lack of know-how, and how that leads to them being taken advantage of by institutions and the merciless gears of the art-world machine. It is important for artists to know the facts about the market, the system, and to approach the business aspect with a clear-headed, confident attitude.

What prompted you to launch the the Geisai art fair in Tokyo? What niche does it fill on the Japanese fair calendar?

I wanted to increase awareness of art among everyday Japanese people. By making it a fun event—that everyone, regardless of funds, can enjoy—I hoped to turn a variety of people on to art. I also like that it is open-participation. This gives it a more egalitarian feeling than Western art fairs, which are really exclusive and oriented to the high-end consumer. Geisai has been a huge success. Every time, 10,000 people come to the site, and we are getting more coverage in international publications.