Takashi Murakami uses Ki to revive old Japanese art

Takashi Murakami uses Ki to revive old Japanese art

For all those who do not have the opportunity to visit the Tokyo National Museum, in which the famous golden leaf painting "Rakuchu Rakugai zu Byobu" from Iwasa Matae from the 17th century, the Gagosian Gallery in London will present a large -scale replica of this masterpiece in December. But on closer inspection, not everything is as it seems.

Takashi Murakami and his new interpretation

In his first solo exhibition in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, Takashi Murakami, one of the most successful artists in Japan, has reproduced the extensive work of Iwasa, which was painted on a six-part screen for around 1615. Like the original, it shows life in the Kyoto of the EDO time down to the smallest detail, from the pulsating red light district Misuji-Machi to a cherry blossom procession that crosses the Gojo Ohashi bridge.

creative additions from Murakami

But Murakami has made some decisive additions. Its characteristic flower figures, designed in rainbow tones, rise over the medieval landscape, while tiny anime animals are distributed everywhere-they wave the visitors from the shore of the Kamo River or roar from the roofs of traditional Japanese longhouses. The use of gold leaf has also been reinterpreted: in this 21st century version, every light-reflecting cloud is shaped with even more flower people typical of Murakamis.

The influence of artificial intelligence

Despite these remarkable changes, it is an almost perfect copy of a painting that was recognized by the Japanese government as "National Treasure" - partly using artificial intelligence. "The original painting was very old," said Murakami at the opening of the exhibition. "It had a lot of scars and paint errors. About 80 % were okay, and for the remaining 20 % I asked the AI ​​for support to complete the drawing and the colors."

a dialogue between artist and ki

A dialogue between the AI ​​and the artist developed, while the program came closer and closer to filling the empty places precisely. "We communicated back and forth until I thought that it made a good suggestion," Murakami describes the process that took about 10 months from sketching to the details. "Then it looked like a patchwork-a collage of AI pictures."

debate about artificial intelligence in the art world

AI tools are controversial in many industries because the debate is raging whether they represent an existential threat to human creativity and artistic professions. In October have over 11,000 artists, including the painters Amoako Boafo and Joanna Pousette-Dart, have signed an open letter in which they demand that AI companies stop using their works to train their algorithms. "The unenclorented use of creative works for the training of generative AI is a significant, unjust threat to the livelihood of people behind these works," says the explanation.

Murakami's perspective on Ki

Murakami, who previously experimented with augmented reality and released his own NFT collection in 2023, sees things differently. "I'm 62 years old," he said. "When I was 28 or 29 (before the mass spread of PCs), it meant creating handmade design as a designer."

"The old designers despised digital drawings and said it was not a real design or not creative because it was created on the computer," he added. "But whoever still thinks today? Maybe in another 10 or 20 years it will no longer disturb anyone to use AI."

hidden treasures of the EDO time

iwasa is not the only artist whose work Murakami has revived with the help of modern technology. In the exhibition, classic works from the EDO time of Ogata Kenzan, the printing maker Utagawa Kunyoshi and the painters Tawaraya Sotatsu and Kano Eitoku were also restored-some reinterpreted more than others. In a new interpretation of Sotatsus ink-picture "Wind God and Donner God", the urgent deities in modern anime style were redesigned (although the hypnotic, threatening aura of Sotatsus original work by Murakami, whose gods look more like cartoon characters, is somewhat reduced).

murakamis creative production method

Despite his commitment of the latest technologies, Murakami-whose factory-like gallery, Kaikai Kiki, has worked for a large production line that is supported by Teams of artistic assistants-30 additional people for his Iwasa replica (whom he called "Rakuchuu-Rakugai-to-byobu: Iwasa Matae Rip"). While many of his contemporaries have difficulties or refuse to accept AI, his large community of employees help him to keep up with the changing attitudes towards technology.

"Some of my young assistants have never had a pen or brush in his hand," he said. "Whenever you work, use a mouse or a tablet or something similar. Maybe it's still early, but in seven to ten years people could use AI to make quick drawings."

"It is very fascinating for me. But that's human evolution."