Nuclear war, natural disasters, and a global pandemic may seem like depressing subjects for a contemporary art exhibition, but entering the world of Takashi Murakami is anything but. Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow at the Cleveland Museum of Art offers a kaleidoscopic retrospective of the artist’s work, challenging our perception of disaster, beauty, and history through a spectacular, immersive installation of over 100 works.
And if you think you’ll be stepping into a typical gallery, Murakami has other plans. The exhibition begins with a full-scale recreation of the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) from the Hōryūji Temple complex in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Featuring four large-scale works on the inside, the hall was constructed within the museum’s glass-enclosed atrium as a point of entry, presenting a breathtaking foray into the artist’s work.
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Self-described as an “anime otaku, or ‘geek’” in an interview with Harvard Business Review, Murakami’s work reflects his lived experience. “There’s a certain sadness or sorrow or tragedy that’s associated with being in the minority. Maybe the childish, simplistic lightness in my work kind of pushes back on that or balances it.”
Pop culture references, a saturated color palette that pops with imagination, and historical nods to Japanese tradition inform Murakami’s style, as well as contemporary influences like anime, manga, and the metaverse.
The artist has also collaborated with some of the fashion and entertainment industry’s biggest names, creating a business ecosystem where commerce can fuel creativity. Past collaborations have included Louis Vuitton, Pharrel Williams, Billie Eilish, Crocs, and dozens more, bringing Murakami’s work to the masses.
But to experience the exhibition’s title piece, “In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” is to encounter Murakami’s artistic sensibility head-on. The 82-foot-long work reflects on Japan’s 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and the resulting tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster. In Murakami’s hands, the apocalypse has never looked so inviting—or felt so necessary.
Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow is on exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art through September 7, 2025.
