Jelly fish 2003

Takashi Murakami’s *Jelly Fish* is a riot of colour and playful lines, probably made with acrylics and a super-steady hand. I can imagine Murakami in his studio, obsessing over every tiny detail, building up layer upon layer of psychedelic imagery. You know, that takes real dedication, but also a kind of madcap joy in image-making. The surface is so smooth, almost like it's been printed. But then, there's this flatness, that makes you feel like you're staring into another dimension. His lines have a kind of seductive cartoonish thing, and it's weirdly hypnotic. I get lost in those spirals and dots, that feel like they're moving, even though they are completely still. Those big eyes staring back at you! I think his work is like a conversation with Warhol and maybe even a little bit of Disney. But he's taken it somewhere completely new, something that feels both futuristic and ancient at the same time. Artists keep talking to each other, don’t they?