06/28/2022
Mr. DOB is considered to be the central character in Takashi Murakami's work. The artist first conceived of the character in 1994, while he was thinking about post-WWII Japan. After the war, the United States occupied Japan, leading to an intertwining of both countries' economies as well as an increase in US influence. Mr. DOB began as a character developed from pop culture, manga and the video gaming world. However, over time Mr. DOB has evolved to reflect the societal and personal changes in Murakami's life.
In this piece, "DOB in a Strange Forest (Blue DOB)," we see the character's fluid nature connected to the depiction of mushrooms in traditional Japanese paintings with otaku toys and the haunting evocation of atomic clouds.
See Mr. DOB and more from Murakami's solo exhibition, "Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow," on view at
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DOB in a Strange Forest (Blue DOB). Installation view by Joshua White / JWPictures.com ©︎ Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
