A Little Flower Painting: Pink, Purple & Many Other Colors, a set with two other lithographs by Takashi Murakami, sold for $4,750 at Swann Auction Galleries Contemporary Art auction on
June 10, 2021 in New York City. Murakami is as famous for his unique works as he is for bringing together art, fashion and music. His unconventional artistic style incorporates flat, two-dimensional imagery—common in Japanese art—in manga and anime. He also mixes high and low, presenting elements typically considered subcultural in the “high art” market, only to then make such prints available at more affordable prices by using them on merchandise such as toys and clothing.
Murakami’s notable high profile collaborations over the years have included a series of handbags with Louis Vuitton, cover art work for Kanye West’s album Graduation, a sculpture in partnership with Pharell Williams at Art Basel and a music video he directed and animated for Billie Eilish’s lead single “You Should See Me In a Crown.”
While fortunately, businesses are starting to reopen, even the most successful of individuals have fallen victim to COVID-19’s financial impact, including Murakami himself—the artist had to declare bankruptcy for his business. Artnet reports that, as a potential new stream of revenue, Murakami has now brought his art into the cryptocurrency sphere by joining the non-fungible tokens craze, releasing a pixel version of his iconic flower motif (like the ones that appear on this month’s cover). Head to Ivan Taback and Stephen L. Ham IV’s article, “The Fiduciary’s Guide to Cryptocurrency: Part II,” p. 20, to better understand how this relatively new digital asset is presenting unique challenges for fiduciaries.
