Murakami Pharrell Artwork Sells for More Than $2 Million
July 07, 09A sculpture created as an artistic collaboration between Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams fetched more than $2 million at the prestigious Art Basel fair in
Murakami created a new sculpture using his trademark character Mr DOB, having taken too many magic mushrooms, this saucer-eyed monster reveals a sharp set of teeth. His wide-open mouth seems to protect Pharrell Williams' seven favorite objects that rest inside: a bottle of ketchup, a bag of Doritos, a condom wrapper, an ice cream sneaker, a bottle of Johnson's baby lotion, a can of Pepsi and a Magnolia Bakery cupcake.
Created in collaboration with famed jeweler Jacob & Co., the objects are made of 18 karat white, yellow and rose gold and set with more than 26,000 diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires, some featuring hand-painted enamel, and others with actual functioning elements that further add to the life-like representation.
“Just like we find balance thanks to fundamental values, these pieces were born out of simplicity,” says Williams. “The simplest things are the most essential to our lives and we rarely pay attention to them enough.”
As an artist, Murakami questions the lines drawn between East and West, past and present, fine art and popular culture. By proposing the concept of “Superflat,” he interpreted modern Japanese culture as the state where the line between high and low culture had been melted.