Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
CONTeXT (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Issued in 2022 by Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd, "CONTeXT (First Edition)" is a hand-pulled silkscreen in an edition of 100. Working within a compact 45 x 45 cm image on a 55 x 55 cm sheet, the print draws its name and concept from CONTeXT, Murakami's apparel line, translating a fashion imprint into a framed graphic object and blurring the line between his commercial and studio practice.
Collector notes: First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 100. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The piece crystallizes Murakami's Superflat thesis that art, fashion, and merchandise occupy one continuous plane. Born from an apparel line whose stated idea was to "knit the context of things like yarn," CONTeXT as a print reframes a garment graphic as a collectible edition. At 100 copies from Kaikai Kiki, it sits in the accessible tier of his output while carrying the conceptual DNA of his boundary-dissolving output.
Collector Perspective
For collectors, the appeal is threefold: a tight edition of 100, direct issue from Kaikai Kiki, and hand silkscreen production rather than mass reproduction. The modest 55 x 55 cm sheet suits intimate framing and mixed hangs of contemporary editions. As a First Edition tied to an ongoing apparel concept, it rewards buyers who value provenance-clean, artist-published works over speculative one-off drops. Condition of the crisp screened surface is paramount.
Historical Context
By 2022 Murakami had spent decades collapsing high and low culture, from Louis Vuitton collaborations to figurines and flowers. CONTeXT extends this logic through apparel: hoodies, hats, and hand-silkscreened garments released under a single conceptual banner. This print emerges from that ecosystem, published by Kaikai Kiki, the studio and management company Murakami founded to produce, distribute, and steward his work and that of allied artists.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2022
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 55 x 55 cm; silkscreen; Takashi Murakami, who starts in the world of art and derives, connects, and crosses various contexts, launched "CONTeXT" as a line of clothing in the first place; The designs are various, and we have sent you apparel with a different style from mass-produced products packed with passion everywhere, such as thick prints and details with silk screen printing by hand.
- Edition details
- First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 100.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Takashi Murakami's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: By 2022 Murakami had spent decades collapsing high and low culture, from Louis Vuitton collaborations to figurines and flowers. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2022 and attributes the edition to Kaikai Kiki Co.,Ltd. The saved description also notes: So far, we have released several apparel items bearing this name, such as hoodies and hats.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Kaikai Kiki Co.,Ltd. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- Kaikai Kiki — official studio site — Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official studio/company site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- Takashi Murakami — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Takashi Murakami (Q352437) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
Who published CONTeXT (First Edition)?
It was published by Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd, Takashi Murakami's own studio and production company, which issues and stewards his editions and merchandise.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 100. The source lists it as a hand-pulled silkscreen with a 45 x 45 cm image on a 55 x 55 cm sheet.
What is the connection to fashion?
CONTeXT began as an apparel line built on the idea of knitting the context of things like yarn into clothing, released across items such as hoodies and hats with hand silkscreen detailing. This print carries that name and concept into a framed edition.
What does 'First Edition' signify here?
It denotes the initial print release under the CONTeXT name, distinguishing it as the inaugural issue tied to the ongoing apparel and graphic concept.
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