Takashi Murakami opened his exhibition at the Chateau de Versailles on September 14th, but not before a dinner at the Galerie des Batailles on the 12th and a party with performances by Uffie and Pharrell Williams in L'Orangerie on the 13th. These events preceded the opening of an epic exhibition that combines past/present and East/West with one of the most famous artists of our time in one of the most beautiful sites in the world.
Featuring 22 works, 11 of which were created specifically for the show, Murakami-Versailles spans the interior and even the exterior gardens of Versailles. The garden walk references the historical way art was viewed at Versailles during its prime. As an artist who combines the traditional and pop culture elements of Japanese culture, Murakami’s vibrant, whimsical sculptures create a fascinating dialogue with the centuries-old, Western lavishness of Versailles. Comparing himself to the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, Murakami “[invites] you all to the Wonderland of Versailles.”
Princesse Chantal de France, Emmanuel Perrotin, Monsieur le ministre de la culture, Frédéric Mitterand, Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Takashi Murakami, Sheikh Jassim bin Abdul-Aziz Al Thani, Catherine Pégard, Monsieur le Président du Chateau de Versailles Jean, Jacques Aillagon, Jack Lang.
