Oval Buddha by Takashi Murakami is displayed in the Versailles Palace gardens (Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP via guardian UK)

Takashi Murakami's solo exhibition at Versailles, Paris ended on Dec 12 2010 as it was scheduled. Collected the reviews, photos and reports regarding to this exhibition. Beside the conservatives and activists who want to protects the Versailles' authority, we see positive reviews and opinions for the show.


The Prince and Mister Pointy (NY Times - Opinion)
"To us, "Murakami Versailles" looks like a blithe and cheerful extension of Louis XIV's remarkable patronage of the arts. And there is something almost hereditary about the look of these sculptures in this place."

Murakami is no competition for the Sun King: The Japanese artist's works, with their "overdressed" style, are not at home amid the baroque décor (Art Newspaper)
"Contrary to what we can see in Versailles, the works in the exhibition need to be approached with an open mind, clear of any quibbles about décor, and allowed to create a genuine contrast with their surroundings. In Jean-Jacques Aillagon's words, a real "confrontation"."

The château's being crowded out (Art Newspaper)
"Whatever one may feel about the art of Koons and Murakami, it is hard to imagine a more perfect setting for it than Versailles"

Manga Royals and French Bureaucrats Fête Murakami's Controversial Versailles Show (Artinfo)
"Murakami said "I discovered the Sun King's emblematic presence everywhere, through the golden coloring. I wanted this to echo into my work, which is why certain pieces are covered in gold leaf, among them the 'Oval Buddha' in the garden.""

Rising Sun (Artforum)
Report of the opening dinner at Versailles.

Legal action against Murakam show (Artforum)
"The Prince Sixte-Henri de Bourbon and the members of Coordination for the Protection of Versailles announce a double urgent legal action for damaging the respect due to the work of Louis XIV, a legal action that they will start after a press conference on October 22."

Let Them Eat Pop Art? Non, Monsieur Murakami (the wall street journal)
Report of the prince Sixte-Henri de Bourbon-Parmet, a descendent of Louis XIV, is seeking a court order to halt Mr. Murakami's exhibit before its scheduled December end date

Takashi Murakami at the Palace of Versailles (guardian UK)
Photos of the exhibition.

Murakami Versailles / Interview with Takashi Murakami (Viernisage TV)

Exhibition views, Murakami's thoughts through this exhibition and what he thinks as a difference between European and Japanese especially in the perspective of space are included in this video.

Japanese pop art takes up residence in France's most famous gilded halls (Cool Hunting)
"On a recent visit to the palace, we found that this sense of displacement makes the installation all the more intriguing-"

Billionaire Boys club (Blog)
Starting with the picture of NIGO (fashion designer of APE) in Kimono, many exhibition images are included in this blog.

Preview: Murakami @ Versailles on Arrested Motion (Blog)
Many images up here too.

Official website at Chateau Versailles (seems to be closed...)
Murakami's statement for this exhibition is written on this site.
"For a Japanese like me, the Château de Versailles is one of the greatest symbols of Western history. It is the emblem of an ambition for elegance, sophistication and art that most of us can only dream of....."

Exhibition Murakami Versailles on FaceBook
People are sharing thoughts and images here.

Murakami Versailles on YouTube


MURAKAMI VERSAILLES/村上隆インタビュー/Takashi Murakami on YouTube