© Murakami

© Murakami, a major retrospective of the work of celebrated artist Takashi Murakami, opens today at the Brooklyn Museum. Called Japan's Andy Warhol, Murakami's work has been labeled as "pop art" for its intense cartoon imagery and relation to pop culture. Last night, the truly fabulous (including Marc Jacobs and Jay-Z) feted the collection at the Brooklyn Ball, which featured a performance by the Louis Vuitton don himself, Kanye West. Yeah, this exhibit is kind of a big deal. So I made it my business to attend the sneak press preview on Wednesday. So glad I did! It is a joyous exhibition of more than 90 works in 18,500 square feet of gallery space. I was only really familiar with Murakami's famed designs for Louis Vuitton, and his out-of-this-world album art for Kanye's "Graduation." I now know these were actually just the tip of the iceberg. Um...yeah. The show's title, (Copyright) Murakami, is meant to express the idea of protecting intellectual property. It's no wonder the artist is extra sensitive about the topic of keeping original ideas safe, as his designs for LV are probably the most bootlegged bags of all time. His collaboration with Artistic Director Marc Jacobs for the Louis Vuitton 2003 Spring/Summer collection spawned the now classic colorful Monogram bags in white and black, often dotted with his signature jellyfish eyes... ...and later that year, the Monogram Cherry Blossom line... ...and the Monogram Cerise pattern in 2005. I have been a tad "over" LV in recent seasons, probably due to counterfeits of the above oversaturating the market. But one foot into the fully operational and beautiforous Louis Vuitton store that accompanies the exhibit, and I was in love all over again. Ooooh la la! Murakami also created special edition canvasses specifically for the Brooklyn presentation, in a new print he's calling Monogramouflage. Here's a glimpse of what will be a new product line launching at the Museum on June 1 before being sold at select LV stores worldwide. Before I could leave, I had to hit the gift shop. I was greeted by these... So cute and sunny! You may remember the big Murakami flower pillows as the same ones from Kanye and Alexis' L.A. home (and Harper's Bazaar cover). I had to have one, after all, it's a collectors item! My budget and I chose this lil cutie... He makes me happy. And it's a pin too! I looove collecting wearable art. Want one for your collection? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (extra credit for adding inaword...fab to your blogroll) and I'll pick a winner at random to recieve a Murakami pillow pin just like the one above. We can be pin twins! After all, I really appreciate you being here. So chat me up! The last day to enter is Friday, April 11, 2008. © Murakami, which originated at MOCA in Los Angeles, will be in Brooklyn through July 13, 2008 before traveling to Frankfurt and Bilbao. If you're anywhere near NY, why not check it out for yourself? Photos courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum