Takashi Murakami’s latest solo exhibition, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow, transforms the Cleveland Museum of Art into a contemplative space that reflects on pivotal historical events from both Japan and the world. Through a dynamic interplay of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary pop aesthetics, Murakami offers a vision that bridges past trauma with modern imagination.
The exhibition’s centerpiece is Yumedono, or “The Hall of Dreams,” modeled after the ancient octagonal hall of Hōryū-ji Temple in Nara. Believed to be built upon sacred ground where Prince Shōtoku converted Emperor Yōmei to Buddhism in the 6th century, this structure serves both as a symbolic gateway and spiritual sanctuary. Murakami reimagines this sacred architecture within the gallery, offering a meditative experience unlike any other.
Inside this sacred octagonal hall, Murakami debuts four new large-scale paintings produced between 2023 and 2025. Each work represents a guardian beast from ancient Chinese cosmology—Blue Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise—interpreted through a modern lens and named after Kyoto, Japan’s former imperial capital.
The exhibition title derives from Murakami’s monumental 2014 painting *In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow*—an 82-foot canvas created in response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami, and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Murakami divides the exhibition into three historical chapters: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the 2011 disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than evoking despair, the works examine communal responses through creativity, with references to the Metaverse, gaming culture, collectible cards, and street fashion as vehicles of resilience and reinvention.
“Murakami’s art mines world history to reimagine the present moment,” says Emily Liebert, curator of contemporary art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. “Visitors will encounter the Murakami they know and love—vibrant pop culture and whimsical design—while also engaging with deeper historical and cultural reflections inspired by the museum’s own permanent collection.”
Known for his experimental edge, Murakami debuts four new digital works that converse with pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. Using digital software, he deconstructs classical imagery and reassembles it into near-perfect visual doubles. From a distance, the artworks appear authentic, yet up close, intentional discrepancies emerge—inviting viewers to question assumptions about originality and interpretation in the age of digital reproduction.
As part of the exhibition, Murakami also offers signed customized portrait prints—limited to 50 editions per style and priced at approximately USD 4,500 each. Proceeds from these bespoke pieces will support the construction of the Yumedono installation. More details are available on the museum’s official shop.
Additionally, the first 50,000 visitors to the exhibition will receive an exclusive Cleveland-themed Murakami trading card, available only for the duration of the show. Limited-edition prints developed in collaboration with the artist are also on sale exclusively during the exhibition period.
Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow is open to the public through September 7, 2025, at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tickets are priced at USD 30 for adults, USD 28 for seniors (65+), and USD 15 for students and children aged 6–17. Reservations and further information are available at clevelandart.org.
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