An installation view of Murakami – Ego at Al Riwaq, Doha. PICTURE: Guillaume Ziccarelli

Entry to the Murakami – Ego exhibition by the world renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami at Al Riwaq Doha (adjacent to the Museum of Islamic Art) has been made free until the last day on June 24.
This was announced by Qatar Museums Authority yesterday. Since opening last February, Murakami-Ego has attracted many visitors from Qatar and abroad.
In connection with the exhibition, QMA has organised an extensive programme with local schools in an effort to attract, inspire and engage students.
Several educational activities were also organised involving Takashi Murakami himself alongside Massimiliano Gioni, curator of the show.
To complement the exhibition, QMA has also set up an outlet for exhibition merchandise designed and inspired by Murakami’s artistic work.
Commenting on the importance of the exhibition for Qatar, Mansoor al-Khater, CEO at QMA, pointed out that Takashi Murakami has been an inspiration for millions of people around the world.
“We are delighted to have organised this epic exhibition. Since it is soon coming to a close, we would like to extend an invitation to all community members to make sure to visit the exhibition free of charge. A special welcome to the schools who have not made the visit yet.”
Following major retrospectives at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and at the Château de Versailles, Murakami – Ego has come to Doha as an exclusive presentation and the final chapter in the worldwide trilogy of exhibitions that have established Takashi Murakami as one of the most fascinating artists working today.
One of the most distinct features of the exhibition is Murakami’s largest painting to date, an Arhat Painting (working title, 2012), stretching 100m and wrapping around three sides of the main gallery space.
It is divided into four 25m sections devoted to wind, forest, fire and mountain and was conceived as a response to the recent natural disasters in Japan. It was inspired by paintings produced by Japanese monks more than 600 years ago.
Murakami – Ego launched Qatar-Japan 2012, a year-long series of cultural, sporting and business-related events in Qatar and Japan to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and friendship between the two countries.