“Takashi Murakami: The 500 Arhats” includes a number of large sculptural pieces. Blog #5 looks at The Birth Cry of a Universe.
Takashi Murakami
The Birth Cry of a Universe
2005-
Gold leaf on FRP
451.3 × 268 × 302.8 cm
Courtesy: Gagosian Gallery, New York
© 2005-2015 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
The Birth Cry of a Universe has been Murakami's latest venture in innovative sculpture, following on Mister Pointy, which was installed in the Mohri Garden at Roppongi Hills in 2005, and Oval Buddha, unveiled at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Representing the reality of our contemporary social structure--with its constant pursuit of development--collapsing under its own weight, it resembles on one hand a monster, while on the other its body, sparkling with gold, is infused with majesty. In arriving at this figure, a giant writhing body with 354 eyes, 105 whiskers and over 1,200 teeth, Murakami was conscious of the lineage of “formal deterioration” in sculpture. Thematically linked to our deteriorating world and expressing the unsettled state of the artist's mind, this endless, massive sculpture is still incomplete after having been worked on for over ten years.
Installation view: “Takashi Murakami: The 500 Arhats,” Mori Art Museum, 2015
Photo: Takayama Kozo
© Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
■Relevant Information
・“Takashi Murakami: The 500 Arhats”
Saturday, October 31, 2015 - Sunday, March 6, 2016
・“Takashi Murakami: The 500 Arhats” Works of Murakami
（1）The 500 Arhats--“Blue Dragon” and “White Tiger”
（2）The 500 Arhats--“Black Tortoise” and “Vermilion Bird”
（3）Making The 500 Arhats
（4）New painting series
（5）The Birth Cry of a Universe
（6）Mr. DOB, Tan Tan Bo, Gero Tan
（7）Bonus! Murakami Arhat Robot
