TAKASHI MURAKAMI’s first-ever solo exhibition titled “Takashi Murakami: Unfamiliar People—Swelling of Monsterized Human Ego” opens TODAY at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.⁠ ⁠ The 61-year-old Japanese artist shared how his artwork is an exploration of the “monsterization” of humanity in the digital age and the pandemic era. His childhood experiences during times of global conflict, such as the Vietnam and Cold Wars, and his parents’ experiences in World War II, inspired his curiosity about humanity’s self-destructive tendencies.⁠ ⁠ takashipom ’s exhibition at asianartmuseum will also serve as a tribute to the Asian Art Museum itself. Several pieces were tailored to the museum’s unique dimensions, and some, like “Lidded Jar with Design of a Lotus Pond,” drew inspiration from the museum’s own collection.⁠ ⁠ The centerpiece of the show, a colossal 83-foot-long painting titled “Judgement Day,” represents a departure from Murakami’s earlier work, blending Japanese woodblock print infl...