Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Memento Mori (Off White)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"Memento Mori (Off White)" is a 2018 screen print by Takashi Murakami, issued in an edition of 100 through the artist's own Hidari Zingaro imprint. Measuring roughly 46.8 x 36.8 cm on the sheet with a 37.3 x 28.7 cm image, it channels the Latin "remember you must die" through Murakami's signature grinning skulls, rendered here in a restrained off-white register that quiets his usual chromatic exuberance.
Collector notes: Fluorescent Orange; saved release record states an edition size of 100. 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 Memento Mori series is where Murakami's Superflat vocabulary meets a centuries-old vanitas tradition, translating Buddhist impermanence and European death iconography into repeating cartoon skulls. The off-white colorway is notable precisely because it withholds spectacle: by draining the palette, Murakami foregrounds pattern, rhythm, and the philosophical premise. It shows the artist reasoning through mortality rather than merely decorating it, a quieter counterweight to his flower and DOB works.
Collector Perspective
With an edition of 100, this sits among Murakami's tighter print runs, and its Zingaro-only distribution appeals to collectors who value works released directly through the artist's ecosystem rather than large commercial editions. The muted off-white tone is a considered acquisition: it rewards buyers seeking a more subdued, tonal Murakami over the neon flower prints, and pairs well within a focused skulls-and-memento-mori grouping.
Historical Context
Released in 2018, this print belongs to Murakami's mature period, decades after he formalized the Superflat theory in the early 2000s. Hidari Zingaro, part of his Kaikai Kiki gallery network in Nakano, Tokyo, has long served as a channel for artist-priced editions. The skull motif recurs across his output in this era, echoing the death-and-rebirth themes that also run through his large-scale paintings and Buddhist-inflected imagery.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2018
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 46.8 x 36.8 cm; ED:100Silkscreen.
- Edition details
- Fluorescent Orange; saved release record states an edition size of 100.
- 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: Released in 2018, this print belongs to Murakami's mature period, decades after he formalized the Superflat theory in the early 2000s. 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 2018 and attributes the edition to Zingaro.
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 Zingaro. 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
What is the edition size of Memento Mori (Off White)?
It was released in an edition of 100 as a silkscreen (screen print), per the Hidari Zingaro listing.
Who published this print?
It was issued through Hidari Zingaro, part of Takashi Murakami's Kaikai Kiki gallery network in Tokyo, as an artist-priced special edition.
What are the dimensions?
The sheet measures approximately 46.8 x 36.8 cm (468 x 368 mm), with an image size of about 37.3 x 28.7 cm (373 x 287 mm).
What does the off-white colorway signify?
The muted off-white palette departs from Murakami's characteristic neon brights, emphasizing the repeating skull pattern and the vanitas theme over color spectacle. Multiple colorways of Memento Mori exist.
