Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Intermezzo (TFBLK)
Summary
Intermezzo (TFBLK) is a 2020 oil-based silkscreen produced by Kaikai Kiki Gallery and released through The Noguchi Museum. It marks the first collaborative work between Takashi Murakami and graffiti pioneer FUTURA2000, printed in 15 colors on 300 gsm KAKITA paper at 25.5 x 21 inches. Signed by both artists in an edition of 100, it is the darker companion to the 20-color TFWHT variant.
Why It Matters
This print records a genuine first: the inaugural collaboration between Murakami and FUTURA2000, two artists who bridged pop, street, and gallery worlds from opposite hemispheres. Institutional backing from The Noguchi Museum and production by Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki Gallery place it at the intersection of American graffiti abstraction and Japanese Superflat, making it a documented dialogue between two distinct visual traditions rather than a routine editioned release.
Collector Perspective
The dual signatures of both Murakami and FUTURA2000 give this piece two-artist provenance within a single sheet, a meaningful draw for collectors of either. The staggered release structure, with 50 offered first through the Museum Shop in the US and 50 later through Kaikai Kiki in Japan, means TFBLK examples carry distinct origin stories. Condition, flat storage, and the pencil signatures reward careful verification.
Historical Context
By 2020, Murakami had spent two decades building Superflat and Kaikai Kiki into global forces, while FUTURA2000 had evolved from 1980s New York subway writing into a celebrated abstract painter. Their pairing under The Noguchi Museum, an institution rooted in Isamu Noguchi's own cross-cultural practice, situated the collaboration within a lineage of East-meets-West exchange, offered as a matched TFBLK and TFWHT set.
FAQ
What makes Intermezzo (TFBLK) significant?
It is the first-ever collaborative work between Takashi Murakami and FUTURA2000, signed by both artists and produced by Kaikai Kiki Gallery for release through The Noguchi Museum in 2020.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 100. Per the release, 50 were first offered through The Noguchi Museum Shop in the US, followed by a second set of 50 available in Japan only through Kaikai Kiki Gallery.
How does TFBLK differ from TFWHT?
TFBLK is the black variant printed in 15 colors, while its companion TFWHT was printed in 20 colors. Both are oil-based silkscreens on 300 gsm KAKITA paper at the same 25.5 x 21 inch sheet size.
Who signed the print?
Both FUTURA2000 and Takashi Murakami signed the work, giving it dual-artist authorship within a single sheet.
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.