Gauntlet Gallery — Takashi Murakami Print Index
Snow, Moon, and Flower: Kaikai and Kiki Viewing the Moon (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Released in 2022 through Murakami's own Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd, this square print pairs the artist's signature mascots Kaikai and Kiki in a moon-viewing (tsukimi) scene. Executed as a combined archival pigment print and silkscreen at 58.9 x 58.9 cm in an edition of 100, it belongs to a three-work series themed on the classic Japanese aesthetic triad of snow, moon, and flower (setsugekka).
Collector notes: First Edition; 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 print sits at the intersection of Murakami's Superflat pop language and deep-rooted Japanese classical themes. Setsugekka (snow, moon, flower) is a centuries-old poetic shorthand for seasonal beauty, and staging it through Kaikai and Kiki lets Murakami fold traditional aesthetics into his own character universe. As one panel of a deliberate triptych-style series, it rewards collectors who track works meant to be read together.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 100 keeps this firmly in scarce territory for a modern Murakami print, and the Kaikai and Kiki pairing is among his most recognizable and collectible motifs. The dual archival-pigment-plus-silkscreen process gives it a richer surface than a straight offset print. Collectors drawn to the piece often aim to assemble the full snow-moon-flower series rather than hold a single panel.
Historical Context
By 2022 Murakami was decades into building Kaikai Kiki both as a studio and as a namesake for his mascot duo, first introduced in the early 2000s. His practice has long braided nihonga training and Edo-period painting with contemporary character culture. Moon-viewing imagery and the setsugekka triad connect this print to a lineage of Japanese seasonal art that Murakami repeatedly reinterprets through his flat, saturated pop idiom.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2022
- 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 58.9 x 58.9 cm; Archival Pigment Print + Silkscreen.
- Edition details
- First Edition; 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: By 2022 Murakami was decades into building Kaikai Kiki both as a studio and as a namesake for his mascot duo, first introduced 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 2022 and attributes the edition to Kaikai Kiki Co.,Ltd.
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 Kaikai Kiki Co.,Ltd. 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 does the snow, moon, and flower theme mean?
Setsugekka (snow, moon, flower) is a classical Japanese aesthetic triad evoking the beauty of the four seasons, drawn from waka poetry and later painting. Murakami built this work as one of a three-part series on that motif, with this panel depicting the moon-viewing (tsukimi) scene.
Who are Kaikai and Kiki?
Kaikai and Kiki are Murakami's original mascot characters and the namesakes of his studio, Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. They appear frequently across his prints and sculptures, and here they are shown viewing the moon.
What is the edition size and medium?
The First Edition is limited to 100. It is produced as a combined archival pigment print and silkscreen, measuring 58.9 x 58.9 cm (sheet), with an image area of roughly 47.5 x 47.5 cm.
Is this part of a set?
Yes. The source material describes a three-work series built around the snow, moon, and flower motif, so this moon-viewing print is intended to be read alongside its two companion panels.
Related Takashi Murakami Works
