Oh Murakami, how you never cease to amaze me. The latest news on Murakami, Louis Vuitton, MOCA, and pop up stores…. apparently along with the new Murakami exhibit running at MOCA (10.29.07 - 02.11.08 at the Geffen Contemporary), with a LV pop up “boutique offering limited-edition handbags and small leather goods featuring Murakami designs. The estimated prices of the bags, ranging from $875 to $920, represent about a $300 markup over the $575 to $665 that consumers would pay for the same line without the Murakami designs at the Vuitton store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.”

Most interesting thing to note? As Murakami continues to blend high/low art - and commercialism of every scale… The store seems in and of itself to be a part of the art… “Unlike the traditional gift shop or museum store outside the exhibition area, or a shop set up for a traveling exhibition such as the 2005 King Tut show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Vuitton shop will be situated approximately in the middle of MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary space. It will be among about 20 rooms featuring paintings, sculpture and animation.” Read more about it at the LATimes.

Tags: art - museum