Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Doraemon Sitting Up (Every Day Is A Festival)
Summary
Released in 2022 through Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki gallery Tonari no Zingaro, "Doraemon Sitting Up (Every Day Is a Festival)" is an offset lithograph in an edition of 300, measuring 65.5 x 57.3 cm. It renders Fujiko F. Fujio's beloved robotic cat in Murakami's Superflat idiom, finished with cold stamping and high-gloss varnishing that give the flat printed sheet a jewel-like surface and tactile depth.
Why It Matters
The print sits at the intersection of Japanese fine art and mass-culture affection. Doraemon is a national cultural touchstone, and Murakami's collaborations built around the character carried real institutional weight, notably his large-scale Doraemon exhibitions. This sheet distills that project into a collectible object, letting a wide audience own a Murakami-authored treatment of one of Japan's most cherished manga icons at print-edition scale.
Collector Perspective
For collectors, the appeal is threefold: a manageable 300-piece edition, the officially sanctioned character collaboration, and the elevated production values. The cold stamp and high-gloss varnish are the details that reward in-hand viewing and distinguish it from ordinary offset posters. Condition is paramount here; the glossy varnished surface shows handling, so pristine, uncreased examples with intact stamping command the most collector attention.
Historical Context
Murakami began working with the Doraemon property in the late 2010s, staging dedicated exhibitions that reimagined the character through his flower motifs and Superflat visual language. The 2022 prints, issued via Tonari no Zingaro in Nakano, extended that dialogue to editioned works. They belong to a broader Murakami practice of translating pop-cultural affection into gallery-grade art, a lineage tracing back to his DOB and flower iconography.
FAQ
What makes this print's finish unusual?
Beyond standard offset printing, the sheet features cold stamping and high-gloss varnishing. These add reflective, tactile surface effects that lift it above a plain lithograph and reward close, in-hand viewing.
How large is the edition?
It is an edition of 300. That is a moderate print run for a Murakami character collaboration, wide enough to be accessible yet limited enough to hold collector interest.
Who published it?
It was published by Tonari no Zingaro, the gallery and print outlet operated under Murakami's Kaikai Kiki company, which handles the artist's officially sanctioned editions and merchandise.
Is the Doraemon character officially licensed here?
Murakami's Doraemon works were produced in collaboration tied to the character property and shown in dedicated exhibitions, situating this print within his authorized body of Doraemon-themed art.
About the Artist
Takashi Murakami (b. 1962, Tokyo) is one of the most influential artists of the postwar era, credited with dissolving the boundary between fine art and popular culture. Trained in Nihonga, the tradition of Japanese painting, he earned a PhD from the Tokyo University of the Arts before formulating Superflat — a theory connecting the flattened perspective of Edo-period painting to the visual language of anime, manga, and consumer culture. Through his studio and company Kaikai Kiki, Murakami has produced paintings, sculpture, film, and a vast catalogue of prints populated by recurring characters such as Mr. DOB, his smiling flowers, and the mascots Kaikai and Kiki. His high-profile collaborations — with Louis Vuitton, Kanye West, and others — helped define the modern intersection of art, fashion, and streetwear.
Collecting Takashi Murakami at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Takashi Murakami prints?
Gauntlet Gallery sources Murakami prints and editions through established secondary-market channels and vets each piece for authenticity and condition before listing.
How are Murakami prints authenticated?
Most Kaikai Kiki editions are numbered and accompanied by documentation. We verify edition details, publisher, and condition, and note any certificates or stamps present on the individual piece.
What drives value in a Murakami print?
Edition size, character (flowers, Mr. DOB, and Kaikai/Kiki motifs are especially sought), production quality (silkscreen and cold-stamp finishes over plain offset), condition, and any collaboration or exhibition tie-in all influence collector demand.