During my last week of vacation, I made it a point to check out some of LA’s museums. On Thursday, I went to the Murakami exhibit at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Entrance to MOCA is free on Thursdays after 5 pm. As a result, there were a lot of people in the museum. I know little about Japanese anime, contemporary art, or Murakami so I tagged along with one of the cute guides (by the way, he was Latino, but he didn’t have a goatee).
The next day, I attend First Fridays at the Natural History Museum. Sea Wolf was headlining the event. My friend and I arrived a little too late for the lecture on mammals and brains (or something like that). We opted to wander around the museum, check out the exhibits and learn something. We figured we could do the nerdy thing on campus by just sitting in on a biology lecture or something.
I must have had Murakami on my mind, because an ancient Peruvian figurine reminded me of Kaikai and Kiki, two Murakami characters.
When I showed the photo at work, one my co-workers said the Peruvian figurine was more Stitch than Murakami. What do you think?
Lotería Chicana 
Wait…LA has museums?
Holy smokes!!!!
I would have to agree with “Stitch”
I can’t believe the similarities.
I think it looks more like ’80s Eddie Olmos in his role as el Pachuco in the film and theater versions of Luis Valdez’s Zoot Suit.
I think Murakami is a hack and I can’t believe his garbage is considered art. Besides Warhol already did it and much better.
As for the pictures, Disney is known for its ripoffs. Remember the Lion King being taken from an earlier Japanese animation film? Simba, Kimba.
Even if it isn’t a ripoff, all mammals have for 4 legs. It’d be strange if it was a one legged creature that the Peruvians came up with.
First Friday’s are back? Yey! I’ll have to check out the next one. Thanks for the reminder!
and jr: Murakami may be a hack, but so was Warhol.
Brenda: 2 wrongs don’t make a right. I’m not a Warhol partisan (though I do like Lichtenstein; don’t know why) but I’m not fond of a joke when it’s repeated a second time. Murakami is glorified anime, pure and simple. That joke isn’t funny anymore.
It’s truly amazing how we’re fed garbage and told it’s good for us. Has it gotten to the point that anything, like Murakami or graffiti, is considered art? http://www.lacma.org/art/ExhibPhantom.aspx -(if it didn’t link, type in this address. why is that picture of the front entrance of the laundromat there?that’s art? Verily, the ‘artist’ behind this photo, Christina Fernandez, is an idiot. She must be one of those idiotic westsiders that romanticize the ‘gritty urban experience.’)
I used to think graffiti was an eyesore but it appears I’ve been mistaken. The tagging crews that hit my neighorhood are really artists! LACMA, this is really sad.
HP,
Wait, you know what a museum is?
Jeff,
After my co-worker suggested Stitch, I had to agree with him too.
Edraid,
Hey, this reminds me of the lookalikes post I did on Eddie Olmos and Johnny Depp a while ago. And really, that Peruvian figurine is a whole lot cuter than Olmos.
Brenda,
Yeah! I’d never gone until last week. The line for Sea Wolf went around the whole central room of the NHM. My friend and I were too hungry to stay around for the show, but we did learn stuff. It was pretty cool.
Jr.,
I knew little about Murakimi before I went, but I did enjoy the exhibit. There’s nothing like an anime cartoon about the necessity of fertilizer.
eeek, that’s definitely a long lost relative of stitch.
I think you’re onto something Cindylu. Maybe this is some sort of Pangea-era leprechaun creature that once ruled the world?
Irasali,
Wouldn’t it be cool if the figurine sang Elvis too?
Oso,
That would be so cool! But do you think this little guy had a chance against the dinosaurs?