Late Friday evening in Japan artist Takashi Murakami took to the airwaves of twitter to vent about “Cool Japan” – the government’s campaign to promote modern Japanese culture abroad. And he proceeded to rip apart everyone involved as well, from artists and designers to ad agencies. Below are a selection of tweets, accompanied by Spoon & Tamago translations.
大手広告代理店の皆様！行政の皆様！告知です。村上に「クールジャパン」関連のイベントへの参加、インタヴュー、諸々のオファーはしないでください。村上隆は「クールジャパン」とは一切関係がありません。宜しくお願い致します。
— takashi murakami (@takashipom) January 6, 2012
Dear ad agencies and bureaucrats! Attention please. Stop inviting me to “Cool Japan” events, interviews or sending any kind of offers whatsoever. I have absolutely no connection to “Cool Japan.” Thank you.
「クールジャパン」で一儲けの広告代理店の仕掛けに乗ってく芸術家の気が知れん。（当人達の自由ではありますが、、、）
— takashi murakami (@takashipom) January 6, 2012
I can’t understand why artists get involved with the gimmicks of ad agencies who are simply trying to turn a profit with “Cool Japan” (of course they’re free to do what they like…)
ほんとうに「クールジャパン」予算、広告代理店に吸われるだけだから止めてほしい。どこぞの飯やで数名が乳繰り合う金が赤字の税からで照ると思うと腹が立って仕方が無いが、それを使う広告代理店が肩で風切ってクリエーター気取りなのがコレまた憎らしい。
— takashi murakami (@takashipom) January 6, 2012
I wish they would stop with this nonsense – the ad agencies are just milking the “Cool Japan” budget. It really pisses me off to think that a few individuals are in bed with each other, licking up the money that came out of our country’s deficit. And the ad agencies who strut about pretending to be creative disgusts me.
定期的にツィートしているが、俺は広告代理店が大嫌いです。だから関わらないようにしてください！
— takashi murakami (@takashipom) January 6, 2012
I tweet about this once in a while, but I hate ad agencies. Please don’t get involved with them.
Source: @takashipon
January 8, 2012 at 9:02 pm
I think his comment in last tweet means, Please leave me alone! or Stay away from me, not the statement encouraging others not to get involved with ad agencies…