Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist who is often ranked alongside historic and contemporary artists working in the tradition of Pop Art, such as Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons. His work combines classical Japanese art with contemporary Japanese pop culture, and he is considered one of the most inventive artists working today. Murakami’s “Mr. DOB” has become an instantly recognizable character in the artist’s body of work for the past 28 years. In celebration of Mr. DOB’s 28th birthday, the artist is releasing a limited-edition sculpture entitled, Melting DOB.
Melting DOB is a two-sided sculpture which, by virtue of Mr. DOB’s expressions, evokes a dual-personality figure. One side features a wide-eyed, crazed expression with fangs flashing, and the other shows a relaxed, heavy-lidded, grinning appearance. The sculpture is made of painted cast vinyl and sits on a metallic disk stand. Etched on the stand’s bottom is the artist’s signature alongside Murakami’s trademark flower motif. It measures 10-inches x 12.5-inches x 7-inches with a total of 300 pieces available for purchase. The release of Melting DOB marks the first time one of Murakami’s collectible figures will be launched exclusively in Asia. The Perrotin Hong Kong Store will be raffling all 300 of the sculptures. The raffle will be open from January 23rd – 27th, with an anticipated price of $2,167.
For more from another renowned artist, check out Louis de Guzman’s ‘A Wild Hare’.