Here’s the huge sculpture at the entrance, EGO is right, Takashi is seated as the Buddha, welcoming us into this big time show…

There’s Sheikha Al-Mayassa, she’s the head of the QMA, the Qatar Museum Authority… this is her first mega show, it’s an exciting moment!

Her official portrait

This is my friend Roy Ben-Yami, we’re standing in front of Tan Tan Bo Puking aka Gero Tan, it’s an absolute masterpiece.

See Tan Tan Bo hanging in the background with DOB in the Strange Forest in front? Same as Murakami did at the Fondation Cartier back in 2002, it’s awesome.

Kaikai and Kiki

A handsome Qatari couple. This man, Nasser Alamadi is an architect for the QMA.

Here’s the new 100-meter painting called The 500 Arhats, most people really were impressed. If you know me by now, I’m not most people.

The 500 Arhats

Detail of The 500 Arhats.

It’s a memorial work to recognize Japan’s tsunami suffering last year.

With some beautiful detail

Recognize this? It’s a detail of my “Daruma” painting… and the eyeball in the “What I’m Seeing” logo.

Here’s Jean-Paul Engelen, he’s the museum director, formerly of Christie’s. A cool guy, he’s well recommended.

Murakami's speech

Thanks, Takashi. Always a pleasure checking out your shows, you are the most international artist in the world, and EGO takes a lot of chutzpah. Hakuin, the Zen poet, once asked, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" This show left me wondering.