Creator of Superflat and pre-eminent rulebreaker Takashi Murakami has been merging highbrow and lowbrow culture for almost three decades, inviting both criticism and acclaim in the contemporary art world with his kawaii-style sculptures, installations, paintings and characters, as well as his celebrity and fashion collaborations. The 56-year-old artist spoke with ArtAsiaPacific prior to the opening of his solo exhibition at Gagosian Hong Kong, looking back to his early days as a student of nihonga painting and his struggles to place himself within the art scene, as well as his recent revelations regarding his own practice and the fictional characters he has created.