Korin; Red River 2015

Takashi Murakami created "Korin; Red River" as a print, and right away, you're struck by the flatness, right? That black background is like a void, a total contrast to the almost manic energy of those flowers and that wiggly red river. It's interesting to consider the texture. See how the black areas have a subtle, almost fabric-like texture, while the colours pop with a slick, almost plastic sheen? The flowers themselves are like perfect, repeating icons, each petal a deliberate, graphic element. And then there’s that red river snaking through. It almost looks like it was drawn with a single, unbroken line. That line is a great example of how simplicity can make a piece of art so evocative. There's something about Murakami's work that winks at Warhol, maybe because both were happy to play with high and low culture. But, ultimately, this is Murakami, all his own, inviting us to question where the decorative ends and the profound begins.