[2] Murakami-Ego is, additionally, the third and last chapter of a trilogy of exhibitions that started off in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, then moved to the Château de Versailles in Paris.
[5] Initially, the exhibition was supposed to take place at the Doha Museum of Islamic Art, but the artist found the venue small for his works.
[5] The exhibition took a few months to be installed, with Murakami using a team of 200 people to make sure he met the deadline for the opening.
The 6-metre high self-portrait shows the artist as a giant meditating Buddha greeting his visitors at the entrance of the exhibition space,[8] whereas the Aarhat wall painting depicts the suffering of the Japanese people following the Fukushima disaster, as well as how Buddhism helped many of them get the much needed spiritual relief and strength to face the loss of their relatives.
[9] It is important to note that, when asked about the main theme of his exhibition, Takashi Murakami insisted that it is about religion and how Buddhism can bridge the cultural gaps between nations.
It is the giant inflatable portrait of the artist, located at the entrance of the ALRIWAQ Doha exhibition space.