Painting I Blog Post- Liz Simmons

I have always loved the bright, fantastical world Takashi Murakami presents in his paintings, sculptures, and commercial works. His contemporary works of art, coined by him as "superflat", are well known for blurring the line between high and low art. This one is particularly fascinating to me due to the juxtaposition of liveliness and looming death. This painting drags you into a hyper colorful, overwhelming reality. At first glance it seems as if it is some superficial graphic design, but delve deeper and you experience all the layers and textures that drag you into a surreal world. In my own personal opinion of this work I would say it is somewhat comforting, that death is accompanied by all of the brightness of lively flowers and the sun.  Liz Simmons