Interest
Takashi Murakami's 'Miss ko2' Sculpture Up for Auction
posted on by Gia Manry
Auction house Phillips de Pury & Company's first New York City "CaRTe bLaNChe" auction will feature a sculpture by Takashi Murakami, the Japanese artist whose anime-inspired works have been exhibited around the world. The sculpture is 1996's "Miss ko2," a 74-inch-tall (about 1.9-meter-tall) model featuring a young blonde woman dressed in a red and white maid outfit. The sculpture previously sold for US$567,500 at a 2003 Christie's auction.
Murakami's work is currently being shown at the Chateau of Versailles in France, an exhibit which inspired protests from traditionalists. In August, Murakami art-directed a magazine cover featuring Britney Spears. Manga creator Seiji Matsuyama later revealed that the photoshoot was an indirect protest against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's unsuccessful bill to restrict sexualized depictions of "nonexistent youths." Vice Governor Naoki Inose had shown Matsuyama's Okusama wa Shogakusei manga on television as an example of which manga should be restricted. Murakami then asked Matsuyama via Twitter about using Matsuyama's art to inspire his magazine photoshoot.
Murakami has acknowledged the influence of anime, manga, and otaku culture on his art, and he himself has directed several anime projects. In 2008 Murakami was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Murakami has worked with Luis Vuitton to design a print for its handbag lines, and with rapper Kanye West to design an album cover and animate a music video. In 2009, Murakami created a music video titled "Akihabara Majokko Princess," directed by Terminator Salvation director MCG and starring actress Kirsten Dunst.
Market blog ArtPrice recently reported that Murakami has seen a decline in income from auctions.
Sources: ArtDaily ArtPrice via Luxist, AICN Anime
Image © Christie's
