Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
DOB 2020 (Blue)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Released in 2020 through Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki gallery imprint Tonari No Zingaro, this offset lithograph presents DOB — the artist's signature Mickey-adjacent avatar — rendered in a cool blue palette. Printed in a compact edition of 100 on a 470 x 470mm sheet with a 370 x 370mm image, it distills Murakami's Superflat lexicon into a single, poster-scaled, collectible impression.
Collector notes: Black; 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
DOB is Murakami's most enduring invention — a character whose name derives from a nonsense phrase, engineered as a self-conscious parody of corporate mascot culture. As DOB's recognizable face, this 2020 blue variant offers a legible, entry-scaled way to own the motif that anchors the artist's entire Superflat project, backed by a tightly held run of 100.
Collector Perspective
The appeal here is clarity and access: a square 47cm sheet, a single-character composition, and an edition of just 100 make this a focused rather than sprawling print. Collectors should treat the blue colorway as a distinguishing variable within the DOB series, note the modest image-within-sheet margins, and preserve the full sheet, as trimming would compromise the stated 470 x 470mm dimensions.
Historical Context
Tonari No Zingaro, Murakami's gallery and merchandise outlet, has long served as the release channel for his editioned prints and character goods. By 2020, DOB had spent roughly three decades evolving across paintings, sculptures, and lithographs. This impression sits within that mature phase, where Murakami repeatedly recolored and reissued his core icons for a global collector base attentive to variant and edition detail.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned lithograph
- Release date
- 2020
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Offset Lithograph; catalog dimensions 47 x 47 cm; Lithograph.
- Edition details
- Black; 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: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2020 and attributes the edition to Tonari No Zingaro.
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 Tonari No Zingaro. 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 DOB 2020 (Blue) and how large is the edition?
It was published by Tonari No Zingaro, Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki gallery outlet, in an edition of 100.
What are the exact dimensions?
The sheet measures 470 x 470mm (47 x 47cm) with a printed image area of 370 x 370mm, per the release specifications.
What printing process was used?
It is an offset lithograph, the medium Murakami commonly uses for his editioned character prints.
What is DOB?
DOB is Murakami's signature cartoon character — a round-eared avatar whose name comes from a nonsense phrase — and one of the central motifs of his Superflat aesthetic.
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