Japanese artist Murakami uses AI, anime to reimagine 16th Century art

A Japanese artist used artificial intelligence to reimagine the country’s aesthetic history.

Takashi Murakami’s work, on display at a new exhibition in London, blends “tradition and innovation,” Artnet wrote, overlaying contemporary imagery and bold, neon colors on top of works by 16th century Japanese painter Iwasa Matabei.

In some cases, Murakami used AI to refine his sketches of animals he hadn’t drawn before, tweaking the inputs until he was happy with the result.

Murakami also leaned on anime-style aesthetics to produce his final designs. “Anime, with its bright colors, exaggerated characters, and surreal worlds, appears playful on the surface,” he told Artnet. “But… there’s often a deep sadness or existential anxiety running underneath.”