Murakami

Part of me wants to be upset with Murakami's treatment of art as something so commercial, something of a large business enterprise. On the other hand, I feel as though we all want success on a large scale, at least LARGER scale. Murakami has found a way to critique society's standards (whether it involves an investigation of high and low, elite and popular, etc.) all while appealing to the very society which he is critiquing. I'm not sure I would enjoy being so completely immersed in the capitalist system like Murakami has been. But in all honesty, I wouldn't mind the income involved with his success. I guess it is a matter of what is more important to you as an artist, making a name for yourself or making work that you know you can live with. "Mid-career soul-searching" caught my eye when reading this article. It seems to imply that Murakami may not be satisfied/happy with all the work he has completed, as if he finds some form of conflict with it on a personal level.