Busan Museum of Art to Host 'Murakami Zombie Exhibition'

January 26?March 12, Lee Ufan and Friends Fourth Series

World-Renowned Artist Takashi Murakami Exhibition, Free Admission Available

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Busan Museum of Art will hold the fourth series of Lee Ufan and His Friends, "Takashi Murakami: Murakami Zombie" exhibition from January 26 to March 12 on the 2nd floor of the main building's large exhibition room and the 1st floor of the Lee Ufan Space.

Lee Ufan and His Friends Fourth Series 'Takashi Murakami: Murakami Zombie' Exhibition.

"Lee Ufan and His Friends" is a project planned with the purpose of highlighting artists who share artistic views at the center of contemporary art history, although their genres differ from artist Lee Ufan, together at the Lee Ufan Space of Busan Museum of Art.

This year, the fourth artist introduced is Japan's representative artist Takashi Murakami (村上隆).

Takashi Murakami belongs to the generation that grew up with postwar Japanese animation and has attracted attention for his strategy to incorporate Japan's subculture into Western art, which has become the center of the world.

He invented an original concept called "Superflat," which interprets "East and West," "tradition and modernity," and "the West and Japan" as a flat structure, aiming to become a pioneer of a new type of popular culture.

This exhibition is the largest-scale retrospective in Korea, introducing over 160 works spanning 30 years, from early works never before shown to the public to recent paintings, large sculptures, installations, and videos. Under the main title "Murakami Zombie," it actively presents the "zombie aesthetics" developed from the aesthetics of "cuteness," "grotesqueness," and "ephemerality."

Additionally, alongside Murakami's signature characters DOB and Tan Tan Bo, the exhibition features more evolved characters representing digital replicated humans such as Avatar NFT, and the Murakami Zombie augmented reality (AR) experience. Through the exaggerated "grotesqueness" of his characters and the felt sadness of "ephemerality," it is expected to provide an opportunity to reflect on humanity's current state facing disaster, human anxiety, and the distorted modern civilization.

Busan Museum of Art's First Exhibition of 2023, 'Murakami Zombie Exhibition'.

At the Lee Ufan Space, Murakami Takashi's "Circle" series is introduced. The "Circle" series, which means a circle drawn with a single stroke and symbolizes a model of practice showing the movement of mind and spirit, shares philosophical affinity with Lee Ufan's works.

An official from the museum said, "As the first exhibition of 2023, the exhibition of the world-renowned artist Takashi Murakami will be held free of charge so that many citizens can visit. We ask for your great interest."

For more details, please refer to the Busan Museum of Art website or contact by phone.