It is difficult to imagine the labor that went into creating the enormous and meticulously detailed artworks in Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg. It’s also a challenge to recognize the sometimes hundreds of characters in each painting. We are sharing two MCA videos that can help: One demonstrates Murakami’s studio process and another illuminates the artist’s influences, techniques, and philosophies about art.

Related videos offer additional insights: Watch an in-depth conversation between Murakami and the exhibition’s curator, Michael Darling. And for a closer look at the works created the exhibition, check out this behind-the-scenes video by the artist’s production company, Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.