It’s Officially Takashi Murakami Day in Vancouver!

The city recognizes the Japanese art superstar on the eve of his blockbuster retrospective at the VAG.

Takashi Murakami, art world superstar, Louis Vuitton collaborator, friend of Kanye, turned 56 today and he spent his birthday parading around the VAG in an out-of-this-world blue suit. (Photo: Neal McLennan.) (Photo: Neal McLennan.)The gallery was crowded as wags jostled each other to snap his pic and I think it’s fair to say that the museum hasn’t seen this kind of buzz since, well, the last time Murakami was here, for the Juxtapoz x Superflat show. It was then that Murakami met VAG curator Bruce Grenville and his affection for him seems to have, in part, made this major show‚ Murakami’s first retrospective in Canada, a possibility.Judging from the preview this may very well turn out to be a game changer for the VAG. There are no Emily Carr paintings trotted out to see how they compare with (insert name of artist) as has been the case for several of the past few shows. There’s just huge canvases and monumental sculptures all bursting with such energy that they seem to be electrified. (Photo: Neal McLennan.)It’s the most Instagram friendly show in ages and it’s bound to bring in a demographic the museum hasn’t seen in a while. We’ll report on the show in more detail—it opens to the public tomorrow—but for now…Happy Birthday Murakami-san!

Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg

February 3 to May 6, 2018Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Streetvanartgallery.bc.ca/murakami