IN CHA!; 1999 - 2000

Takashi Murakami's IN CHA!; is a smooth sea of graphic cartoon figures that seem to float on the canvas. I imagine him, armed with vibrant acrylics, carefully outlining each form, filling in the colors with precision. This painting feels like an exercise in control, where every line and color choice is deliberate. The flatness of the figures against the checkerboard ground reminds me of video game graphics, the kind that pull you into another world. It's like Murakami is creating his own visual language, one where cuteness meets the grotesque. The 'eyes' on the mushroom shapes give me a sense of the world looking back at me. Does anyone else feel that? His work reminds me of a mix between art historical practices of Pop Art and Surrealism with Manga, creating something totally new. Murakami’s world is vibrant, a little bit psychedelic, and utterly his own.