Flower Moon Party Kicks Off Takashi Murakami Exhibition at AGNSW

On Saturday 5 December 2026, the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) hosted the Flower Moon Party to mark the opening weekend of the Takashi Murakami exhibition. The event ran from 6pm to 10pm, transforming the gallery after dark with a lively program including live music, DJ sets, pop-up bars, immersive art experiences and exclusive late-night access to the exhibition.

The party featured performances by Melbourne-based violinist, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Elle Shimada, alongside Sydney DJs Issa Tejima, KILIMI and Riri, who energized the entire building across multiple floors. Dedicated food and drink areas, including a pop-up bar by Kirin Ichiban, kept the atmosphere buzzing late into the night.

Earlier that day at 11am, Takashi Murakami joined Melanie Eastburn, Senior Curator of Asian Art at AGNSW, for an in-depth conversation exploring three decades of Murakami’s artistic practice and the stories behind this Sydney-exclusive exhibition. Following this, two free performances celebrating Japanese culture took place at 12.30pm in the Naala Badu Welcome Plaza, featuring the Onikenbai Sword Dance and taiko drumming by TAIKOZ.

At 2pm, visitors were invited to join a curator-led tour of the exhibition, offering rare insights into how Murakami bridges traditional Japanese art, anime subcultures and contemporary pop culture. The exhibition runs from 5 December 2026 until 18 July 2027.

Throughout the summer, AGNSW will present an expanded program of free talks, performances, films and late-night events to deepen engagement with the exhibition. As part of the Art After Hours series on 9 and 16 December, visitors can participate in exhibition tours, hands-on art-making workshops with Sydney artists, and enjoy curated playlists by fbi.radio.

Takashi Murakami: When the Mountain Is High, the Moon Rises Higher is part of the 2026–27 Sydney International Art Series, a NSW Government initiative supported by Destination NSW. Concurrently, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will present Philippe Parreno: 5 Moons from 21 November 2026 to 26 April 2027.