Creator: Takashi Murakami
Title: Melting DOB D
Work Type: Paintings
Date: 2001
Location: Exhibited at Brooklyn Museum of Art, Spring 2008
Material: Acrylic and on canvas mounted on board
Measurements: 39 ⅜” x 39 ⅜”
Image URL: https://library.artstor.org/#/asset/LARRY_QUALLS_10313736070
Murakami’s Melting DOB D depicts a heavily warped version of his iconic Mickey Mouse-esque character, DOB, on an empty grey background. Inspired by Mickey and other widely circulated pop culture icons such as Doraemon, the concept of DOB implies a level of ‘cute.’ Although both the simplistic, rounded mouse shape of the artwork and the kawaii style of the eyes implies a level of this non-threatening cuteness, the cute has been ‘melted’ into something that appears far more threatening. The face has been covered with overlapping eyes and large, fanged mouths. In addition, what may normally be thought of as ears display similarly mutated faces. Melting DOB D plays with the concept of cuteness as something that simultaneously evokes the desire to cuddle and control something perceived as helpless. DOB embodies the ugly feelings evoked by viewing something cute, in addition to illustrating the weaponization of cute. What feelings are evoked when the cute, supposedly helpless object is given the capacity for retaliation?
Hana Tanabe – htanabe@conncoll.edu
