Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Faces Deck
Summary
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.
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.
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.
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.