Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Faces Deck
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Murakami's Faces Deck (2016) is a maple skateboard deck issued through ComplexCon that reproduces one panel of a larger composition. As stated in the source, it is one of three 8.25-inch decks that together assemble a single image, printed on maple sourced from "Joey's tree." Each board reads as an object on its own, yet the design rewards the collector who mounts all three and completes the artist's grinning-flower field.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record. 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 deck sits at the intersection of Murakami's Superflat vocabulary and skate culture, translating his fine-art motifs onto a functional street object. The triptych format is the point: no single board is complete, which pushes collectors to pursue the full set. As a ComplexCon release, it also documents Murakami's ongoing embrace of streetwear-adjacent drops and limited merchandising as a legitimate extension of his practice.
Collector Perspective
Collectors should read this as a set-driven object rather than a standalone print. Its value proposition leans on completeness — securing all three panels to form the intended image — and on condition, since decks are easily dinged. Boards displayed unridden with clean graphics and intact maple are most desirable. The source notes no stated edition size, so verify accompanying documentation and the "Joey's tree" maple attribution carefully.
Historical Context
By 2016 Murakami had spent two decades moving fluidly between museum walls and consumer objects, from Louis Vuitton to figurines and apparel. ComplexCon, launched that same year as a convergence of art, streetwear, and music, became a natural venue for artist drops. The Faces Deck reflects that moment: blue-chip imagery released in a skate format aimed at a younger, culture-fluent collecting audience.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned skate deck
- Release date
- 2016
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Skate Deck; catalog dimensions 80 x 20 cm.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- 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 2016 Murakami had spent two decades moving fluidly between museum walls and consumer objects, from Louis Vuitton to figurines and apparel. 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 2016 and attributes the edition to Complexcon.
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 Complexcon. 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
Is this a single deck or part of a set?
It is one of three 8.25-inch decks that together form a single image, per the source description. Each board is a panel, and the complete artwork appears only when all three are displayed side by side.
What is the deck made of?
Maple wood, described in the source as sourced from 'Joey's tree.' It is a standard 8.25-inch skateboard deck measuring roughly 80 x 20 cm.
Who published the Faces Deck?
It was released through ComplexCon in 2016, the culture convention that brings together art, streetwear, and music. ComplexCon has been a recurring venue for limited artist drops.
Was it meant to be skated?
As a functional deck it can be ridden, but collectors typically preserve these unused. Clean graphics, intact maple, and no deck dings matter most for display and long-term desirability.
