Takashi Murakami: Warhol / Silver

Takashi Murakami’s screen print Warhol / Silver (2012) depicts a colorful bunch of the artist’s smiling flowers against a reflective platinum leaf ground. The work’s title cements its connection to Andy Warhol and his New York studio, the Factory—which Warhol’s associate Billy Name “silverized” with foil and paint—underscoring the significance of Pop art as an inspiration to Murakami’s approach. The floral forms were inspired by his training in nihonga (traditional Japanese painting); along with other icons such as the Mr. DOB character, they populate a body of painting, sculpture, print, and film that draws on historical sources alongside sci-fi, anime, and the global art market.