Takashi Murakami: Spreading Both Arms, Embracing Happiness! This is number 170 of a limited edition of 300. Pick-up is welcome. Location: Ikebukuro Size: 81 cm (height and width) Born in Tokyo in 1962. Majored in Japanese painting at Tokyo University of the Arts. Obtained a doctorate in 1993 with the dissertation "The Meaning of the Meaningless Meaning." In 1994, he was invited to the P.S.1 ART PROJECT by the Rockefeller Foundation's ACC Grant and stayed in New York. From the late 1990s, based on the concept of "PO+KU ART," which combines pop and otaku, he began to release art works close to otaku culture, such as anime and figures. Also, around 2000, he proposed the concept of "SUPERFLAT," and in addition to producing his own works, he planned an exhibition of the same name, which toured overseas museums such as the Walker Art Center (U.S.A., Minneapolis). His activities that transcend genres, such as collaborations with ISSEY MIYAKE and Louis Vuitton, are also notable. In 2003, he also created the image character for Roppongi Hills. In 2008, one of his representative works, "My Lonesome Cowboy," was auctioned at Sotheby's for a high price of 1.6 billion yen, becoming a hot topic. His handling galleries include his own gallery, Kaikai KiKi, as well as Gagosian Gallery and Emmanuel Perrotin. Recently, his solo exhibition at the Palace of Versailles and his exhibitions in Qatar, including the Five Hundred Arhats, have been attracting attention.