Japanese artist Takashi Murakami talks with Riga Ramadhan about his standout collaboration with Hublot and the brand’s singular “the art of fusion”
Hublot recently unveiled 39 the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire, which proved to be a truly disruptive and unconventional timepiece. As the name implies, this collaborative watch was created together with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, who is best known for his colorful and smiling “flowers.” This is, however, not the first collaboration between the two; and this time, the resulting piece of contemporary art combines Hublot’s first series-produced central flying tourbillon and Murakami’s iconic motif, a flower composed of 12 petals made entirely of sapphire. DA MAN recently caught up with the artist behind the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire in Singapore to delve into his view of time and the remarkable timepiece…
DAMAN: Congratulations on the launch of the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire. As we understand it, the entire watch is transparent to highlight its luminosity. What do you think about the overall result?
Takashi Murakami: Up until now, my work has focused on color. It was a really exciting challenge to start a whole new chapter focusing on absolute transparency. The forms and volumes are perceived completely differently. With Hublot, we were able to preserve the individuality of my floral motif, but with a unique and different identity which was purer and perfectly in tune with Hublot’s mechanical universe. I’m very proud of the result!
DA: Art is a way to tell a story. In the context of your collaboration with Hublot, what stories would you like to tell?
TM: There are so many things I want to say; but when I take a look at the final product, I was left speechless. H That happens when you witness something so remarkable that words fail to capture its beauty. It is almost like you don’t have to say anything because the piece itself tells a story.
DA: Hublot has become synonymous with its “Art of Fusion.” How do you interpret this idea?
TM: A year and a half ago, NFT was very popular, and many people bought into the art of NFT. Moreover, Facebook became Meta, and Metaverse was the talk of town. I truly believed in Metaverse. Part of it was because it was in the middle of the pandemic and I saw how my child communicated online with his friends, whether through video games or online. That’s how significant the Metaverse was and I felt that, sometimes, artists tend to stick to a core value. They’re very uncompromising. But to me, I think you should always be ready for change, to adapt to it and sort of fuse it with the style you have accomplished for yourself. So, for me, fusion is combining what I believe in with something that’s in trend now.
DA: On a personal note, what does time mean to you?
TM: I enjoy watching YouTube videos about physics that discusses time, space and the universe. I also enjoy “Interstellar”—the movie always gets me thinking about transcending what’s possible. To me, the world isn’t just 4D; it’s more of a multiversal space. So, I’m essentially a physics geek and that’s how I perceive time—not as linear but remarkably multifaceted.
DA: Are you a watch collector yourself?
TM: To be honest, I’m not a watch collector, but I understand the collector’s mindset. I have an extensive ceramic collection. Acquiring pieces for my ceramic collection is more of an addiction than a deliberate act. The essential aspect of an art collection is how it connects to the past, entwined with a sense of ownership and limitation. Customers have a budget but also have dreams and imagination. In the case of watch collections, understanding the chronological context becomes straightforward, whether it concerns the future or the past. This is why I truly comprehend the mindset of watch collectors, even though I am not one myself.
TEXT Riga Ramadhan