Overview
First Michael Jackson declared himself Peter Pan and erected Neverland in his backyard. Now, Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami has styled himself on another fabled children's character, creating a fantasy world for Parisians in the process. “I am The Cheshire Cat who greets Alice in Wonderland with his devilish grin, and chatters on as she wanders around the Château", says the artist of his new work in Versailles.
Murakami blends high and low brow art and uses inspiration from mass media and pop culture to create giant sculptures, paintings and commercial goods. Twenty-two spectacularly sized, cheerful and colorful sculptures by the contemporary visual artist have been erected in rooms around the grounds of the Château de Versailles, where he has created a completely new artistic style he calls 'Superflat.'
The curator, Laurent Le Bon, says of the exhibit: “Contemporary artistic creation allows another perception of this living, ever-changing monument” and that it creates “a new labyrinth of Versailles that has the purpose of both distracting and entertaining the viewer.” The works bring fresh meaning and perspective to the iconic palace and will be on display until 12 December. The exhibit marks the beginning of what is planned to become an annual exhibition fusing French and contemporary foreign artists.
[Via Flavorwire]