Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Flower Ball (Burning Blood)
Summary
"Flower Ball (Burning Blood)" is a 2018 offset lithograph by Takashi Murakami, published by his studio Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. in an edition of 300 at 28 x 28 inches. The square format frames Murakami's signature spherical bouquet of grinning, multicolored flowers, here rendered in an intense red-forward palette that gives the work its "Burning Blood" designation and heightened emotional charge.
Why It Matters
The Flower Ball is one of Murakami's defining motifs, distilling his Superflat philosophy into a single dense sphere where cheerful smiles mask deeper unease. The "Burning Blood" colorway pushes that tension toward the visceral. As a Kaikai Kiki edition of 300, it offers collectors an accessible, gallery-vetted entry into the artist's most recognizable image without the price of a unique painting.
Collector Perspective
At 28 x 28 inches with a fixed edition of 300, this print sits in the sweet spot Murakami collectors watch: large enough to command a wall, small enough in run to retain edition discipline. Kaikai Kiki publication is the key provenance signal. Buyers should confirm the pencil signature, edition numbering, and any accompanying documentation, and verify condition given the offset medium's sensitivity to handling.
Historical Context
Murakami introduced the smiling flower in the 1990s and expanded it into the packed Flower Ball beginning in the mid-2000s, drawing on Japanese nihonga tradition and postwar pop culture. By 2018 the motif was globally iconic, amplified by fashion and music collaborations. This edition belongs to that mature phase, when Murakami issued the Flower Ball in numerous colorways exploring how palette alone reshapes the image's mood.
FAQ
Who published this print?
It was published by Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd., Takashi Murakami's own studio and production company, which issues and authenticates his official editions.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 300, meaning 300 numbered impressions were produced at 28 x 28 inches, typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil.
What makes the 'Burning Blood' version distinct?
It uses an intense red-dominant palette that shifts the familiar Flower Ball from cheerful to charged, giving the same spherical bouquet a hotter, more visceral emotional register.
What is the medium?
It is an offset lithograph, a print process Murakami frequently uses for his editions to achieve crisp, saturated reproduction of his flat, high-color imagery.
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.