Has Takashi Murakami sold out? (Attention: Fashionistas)

The one of the upper left is adorable but it's like what? 97 packs of cigarettes? A knock-off OTOH would be great.

bye!

Thing is, Louis Vuitton accessories are overseen by Marc Jacobs...and nobody asked to collaborate by Marc Jacobs would ever say no because a) he's where the *good* hype is and b) there are a few fashion designers like him, Helmut Lang and Raf Simons who seem GENUINELY interested in Art rather than having some look-at-me foundation or summat (yo Miuccia - do you know artists diss you for knowing nowt?). Also - based on how he was when I interviewed him ages ago - he's nice.

There's a HUGE article about this in a very recent Edgy Style Mag but not written by me, alas.

suzy, where can I order past issues?

i like the idea of the bags very much

(Erik, send yr. postal details to Ed's address and he will forward them to me so thing can be sent)

Oh, and "edgy" means nervous or irritable.

Hmm, anyone here think my use of the term 'edgy' is in some way ironic, or is it just me?

I take it all back. That's edgy!

http://members.rott.chello.nl/e.visser25/Murakami1.jpg

Posh boy looses his shirt collar by Raf Simons

Ha, it's Attack of the Killer Handbags. Felicity, if you're serious, mail me. If you're not, mail me also.

Marianne Boesky, who for years had represented Mr. Murakami before he jumped to the powerhouse Gagosian Gallery two years ago, was selling one of the artists outrageous sculptures, My Lonesome Cowboy, another cast of which is on view as part of the artists retrospective that opened last month at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The sculpture of the naked cowboy brought another record price, selling to a telephone bidder for $15.1 million, nearly four times its $4 million high estimate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/arts/design/15auction.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I went to that exhibit, liking Murakami in general, and left with an empty feeling I couldn't shake. Opening sculpture of naked anime girl transforming into vulvic airplane. Watched the Kanye West video projected on a screen in a room with eyeball carpeting. Saw a six year old girl say "Hey mommy, look at the naked guy" and have her mom gently guide her away from this: http://www.artic.edu/~rmcder/MyLonesomeCowboy.jpg. Saw a lot of cheap ass vinyl mold sculptures basically identical to mass produced shit w/ multi-million dollar asking prices. Finally lost my teeth at the Louis Vitton handbag shop in the middle of the store.

Seriously fucking depressing for some reason

I've felt that way since Superflat 1. Don't get the Murakami adulation. He seems more like a poster boy for cross-cultural-art-marketing-something than an interesting artist in his own right. Which is why this latest sell-out doesn't feel like a betrayal or even a compromise. What's funny is that you have a "serious artist" and fashion house essentially playing catch-up to Tokidoki and fucking Le SportSac. Whose bags are a LOT more clever/fun (and cheaper, besides).

Um...

Spring 2003 - Marc Jacobs announces Takashi Murakami line of Louis Vuitton handbags handmade from Italian leather.
Spring 2006 - Le Sportsac announces Simon Legno (aka Tokidoki) line of Le Sportsac bags made in China out of plastic.

Okay, fine. Thwack. I is ignorant about fashion things. Still think the rip-off SportSac bags are more fun and that Murakami is boring, but it does kick my controversial opinion to the curb.

Carry on.

it's an ugly bag, but lesportsac had one of my favorite artists make a bag. :D

assume vivid astro focus
http://www.lesportsac.com/external/avaf/avaf.html

he doesn't even look like a cowboy

i have a lesportsac tokidoki wallet

he doesn't even look like a cowboy

-- gbx, Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:12 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

haha

http://www.google.com/logos/2011/murakami_summer-hp.png

not so flat anyremo

https://www.perrotin.com/exhibitions/takashi_murakami-takashi-murakami-the-octopus-eats-its-own-leg/6429