And Then And Then Red

In his painting, “And Then and Then (Red),” artist Takashi Murakami partly bases the cartoon figure, Mr. DOB, on a self-portrait. Murakami’s disdain for empty consumer culture is evident in the piece. The painting is a combination of two-dimensional Japanese art and modern media imagery and computer graphics. Common to Murakami’s works, the piece is a commentary on such contemporary issues as technology and globalization and their resulting impact on individual and national identities. To achieve this end, the artist incorporates modern media with such Western-influenced Japanese trends as anime and otaku. Also reflecting the “Superflat” qualities of Murakami’s other works, the painting resembles the flawlessness of a TV screen.