Lock 48

Yesterday, I noticed that people out and about near where I live seemed to be more cautious than of late - more masks, more careful social-distancing.  Today, it was announced for the first time that there is something of a spike in local Covid-19 cases, albeit nowhere near as high as those in Leicester. Odd.

Takashi Murakami, born in Tokyo in 1963, has been making an impact on the art world since the 1990s.His work uses mass media and pop culture images to create sculptures, commercial goods and what he calls "Superflat" paintings. 

In works such as 727-727 (2006) he used images from highly popular Japanese animation and comics. especially otaku culture, which refers to those young people who are obsessed with manga and anime.  The style is his way of integrating popular Japanese culture and historic Japanese painting.  The central character is his signature image - Mr DOB, a cartoon figure with sharp teeth who, in this work, has become psychedelic in a vibrant, dreamlike background.