Grammy-winning hip hop star Kanye West is to collaborate with Takashi Murakami, the "Warhol of Japan", on a series of projects for West's forthcoming third album Graduation, released on September 11.
According to West, who met Murakami in his studio while on a recent visit to Japan and called him a "God in the art world", Murakami will create all the artwork for the album singles, including the songs Can't Tell Me Nothing and Stronger. Murakami has also created a three-minute animation for one of the songs, along with artwork for the album merchandising. "Murakami's work is stunning," says West.
Such a commercial partnership is not unusual for Murakami, who will also be the subject of a major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in October. The artist, who is well known for combining fine art with Japanese manga cartoon images, previously collaborated with Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton on a line of designer handbags. The Los Angeles retrospective will sell some of these creations in a Louis Vuitton shop, as well as displaying more than 90 other works by the artist.
Regarded as a media king in Tokyo, where he lives, Murakami also has his own television and radio shows, and owns studios in the Japanese capital and New York that foster new artists. He also surprised the art world earlier this year when he dropped gallerist Marianne Boesky for Larry Gagosian, after a 10-year partnership.
· West's forthcoming third album Graduation, released on September 11