Black Book reports that Takashi Murakami’s company won’t press charges in the case of the ring found in a pawn shop years after it

Kaikai Kiki has elected not to press charges, despite the due diligence of pawn shop ownerAngel Parets and Miami Beach Police Department Detective Pete Rodriguez, who had a suspect in custody within 48 hours of the ring’s discovery. One would’ve thunk that Kaikai Kiki would be only to eager to prosecute; teach those crooks a hard lesson.

Stealing Murakami: The Plot Gets Still Thickerer (Black Book)

It’s Thanksgiving in America and that still means paying attention to Macy’s parade in New York City. The New York Times’s Dave Itzikoff explains that the annual spectacle has increasingly taken on a high-art tone with balloons made from images created by artists like Keith Haring, Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami:

For the organizers of the Macy’s parade the addition of Mr. Murakami and his characters to its lineup is the fulfillment of a longtime goal and several years of work.

Robin Hall, the executive producer of the parade, said in a telephone interview that Mr. Murakami was one of a handful of artists Macy’s sought out when it started its series of balloons designed by internationally recognized artists in 2005.

The parade, Mr. Hall said, “is a snapshot of American culture.” While much of its roster is dedicated to readily identifiable figures like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, he said, “I do believe there’s room in this parade — and have always believed this — for high art.”Continue Reading