Artwork Description
Sharp Tooth Bear ComplexCon Skateboard Art Deck Set by Takashi Murakami TM/KK Limited Edition Archival Print on Wood Skateboard Deck by Street Artwork Graffiti Artist.
2019 Limited Edition Skateboard Artwork Size 8x31 Skateboard Art Deck Brand New Perfect Condition 3x Deck Set
Sharp Tooth Bear ComplexCon Skateboard Art Deck Set by Takashi Murakami: Pop Icons Reimagined in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
The Sharp Tooth Bear ComplexCon Skateboard Art Deck Set by Takashi Murakami is a 2019 limited edition release featuring archival pigment print transfer on a triptych of 8 x 31 inch natural wood skateboard decks. Distributed under Murakami’s TM/KK studio label and unveiled at ComplexCon, this set presents his iconic character Mr. DOB in a surreal, floating constellation of multicolored spheres and sharply jagged smiles. The artwork is pristine in condition and masterfully designed to span across all three decks, forming one unified image that vibrates with movement and mischief. A hallmark of Murakami’s crossover between high-concept Japanese art and subversive street aesthetics, this edition continues his exploration of visual identity through the lens of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. Mr. DOB, Murakami’s long-standing alter ego and mascot figure, is featured here in its more evolved and chaotic form. Multiple Mr. DOB heads orbit across a gradient background shifting from teal blue to pale yellow, creating a dreamy atmosphere that clashes with the aggressive, shark-like teeth and multicolor psychedelic eyes embedded in each orb. These elements produce a feeling of both playful celebration and psychological unease. With influences from anime, manga, consumer branding, and the emotional dissonance of modern visual culture, Murakami’s sharp-toothed icon becomes both character and critique. His precise lines and cartoon-like distortion transform each floating head into a symbolic vessel for contemporary overstimulation and cultural fragmentation.
Skate Culture Meets Pop Surrealism in Limited Edition Form
Takashi Murakami’s choice to present this piece as a skateboard deck set is deliberate. Skate decks have long existed at the intersection of function and rebellion. In Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, the skateboard is more than a tool—it is a symbol of self-expression, disruption, and the tension between movement and visual impact. By translating his most recognizable character onto a surface born in subculture, Murakami activates new dimensions of accessibility and statement. The Sharp Tooth Bear set preserves the tactile honesty of the street while simultaneously operating as a luxury fine art object. The curved verticality of the decks allows the floating spheres to appear as if drifting in weightlessness, emphasizing the detachment and surveillance often associated with Murakami’s characters. Each panel maintains detail while contributing to the whole, creating a mural-like composition that bridges studio art and skate shop graffiti. The production quality—high-fidelity archival pigment on wood—maintains the integrity of the image while reinforcing its collectible status. These decks are built for permanence but born from a culture that values ephemerality.
Character Mutation as Language in Murakami’s Visual System
The recurring use of Mr. DOB across Murakami’s work symbolizes transformation, commercial identity, and visual overload. In the Sharp Tooth Bear deck set, the character’s expression is twisted into multiple forms, with exaggerated eyes, swirling patterns, and sharp jaws creating a sense of multiplicity and instability. This reflects a broader theme in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork where characters become signatures, avatars, and mythologies that evolve in public. Like graffiti tags, these characters act as a calling card—but Murakami amplifies them with color theory, compositional harmony, and emotional duality. Floating heads with smiles and snarls occupy the liminal space between joy and chaos. Their bright exteriors mask the grotesque, creating a paradox central to the experience of modern pop culture. These figures float in a void, disconnected yet expressive, much like the fractured media landscape Murakami so frequently interrogates. The decks tell a story of cultural mutation and psychological saturation through line, hue, and repetition.
Takashi Murakami’s Skate Decks as Contemporary Cultural Icons
Takashi Murakami, born in Japan in 1962, continues to challenge and redefine what Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork can be. His skate deck releases at ComplexCon push the boundaries of medium, bringing fine art to surfaces with street-level power. The Sharp Tooth Bear deck set serves as an entry point into Murakami’s philosophy of Superflat—where depth is compressed and visual meaning expands. With this 2019 release, Murakami reinforces that characters like Mr. DOB are not just visual gimmicks, but sophisticated tools for exploring the artificial, the emotional, and the psychedelic in a world oversaturated with imagery. These decks are not just collectibles—they are symbols of how visual art can mutate, float, and bite, all while maintaining a smile. They are the painted echoes of pop consciousness frozen in motion, crafted with intent, color, and a sharp set of teeth.
