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Takashi Murakami Designed a Special Edition of UNO Cards in His Iconic Style

By Margherita Cole on September 6, 2022

Colorful and quirky, Takashi Murakami‘s art is instantly recognizable. Not limited to one medium, we have seen the Japanese artist create paintings, sculptures, wallpaper, and installations with his unique aesthetic. Recently, Murakami has collaborated with Mattel on a limited edition UNO card deck that is just as whimsical as the creator himself.

Each set comes with one UNO card deck that is made up of 112 cards. All of these pieces are decorated in the Superflat art style, which Murakami first made famous in his 2001 exhibition of the same name. According to him, “flattening” not only refers to the flatness of the image but also the flattening of the divisions between high and low art as well as between art and consumer culture.

Also included in the UNO Artiste Series is a 5×7 poster of Murakami's smiling flowers and four double-sided “Extra Cards” which can be arranged to make two more Murakami artworks. The same rules of UNO apply to this whimsical deck, in that the goal is to match cards by color, number, or art piece to shed your hand before the other players. Among the numerous illustrations printed on the cards are images of smiling flowers, pandas, and Mr. DOB.

This deck of cards retails for $25 on Mattel's website. Although they are currently sold out, you can sign up for restock notifications. People in Japan can purchase Murakami's UNO cards in person at Toys “R” Us as well as through their online store for ¥3,299.