Late last year, we got a look at the trailer for the Takashi Murakami film Mememe no Kurage (Jellyfish Eyes) that released back in April. The Wall Street Journal caught up with the artist at the Kaohsiung Film Festival and discussed his motives for making the film for children. Murakami said that his goal with the film is to " highlight Japan’s complicated social issues in a way that children can appreciate so perhaps when they become adults, they will be better equipped to deal or even improve these issues...it is imperative for them to know the world we live in is full of traps, dangers and unpleasantness." He went on to say that he wants children viewing his film to get the message that they are "not the chosen ones," that they are "not always blessed," and that the world is "dark and dreary."
In the same interview, Murakami is asked about the current state of contemporary art in Asia, to which he responds, "in Asia, the appreciation of art is sometimes very shallow and superficial." He refers to the critics that call him overrated and his work overpriced, saying that they don't consider the "vigorous training with absolute discipline." Check out the full interview here.
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[via WSJ]
