ArrowArtboardCreated with Sketch.Title ChevronTitle ChevronIcon FacebookIcon LinkedinIcon Mail ContactPath LayerIcon MailPositive ArrowIcon Print
Arts

Fake Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami exhibits pop up in China

Contemporary artists threaten legal action for copyright infringement

An "Infinity Mirror Room" installation by Yayoi Kusama at the Rufino Tamayo museum in Mexico City. Kusama is known for her use of polka dots and mirrors.   © Reuters

TOKYO -- Pirated DVDs and counterfeit handbags have been a headache for Chinese authorities. But even by Chinese standards, holding art exhibits consisting entirely of fake works would be considered outlandish. Yet Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist known for her iconic polka-dot patterns, has found out that somebody there is doing just that using her name.

The exhibits showing works claiming to be by Kusama and Takashi Murakami, another contemporary Japanese artist, were held in the cities of Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai, starting in April of this year, according to Kusama's attorney, Yoshifumi Onodera.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.

Discover the all new Nikkei Asia app

  • Take your reading anywhere with offline reading functions
  • Never miss a story with breaking news alerts
  • Customize your reading experience

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter
Free access for everyone - Sep. 30

Find out more