Ohio
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami opens exhibit in Ohio museum with more than 100 works
CLEVELAND — Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami has never been limited to one medium, creating paintings, sculptures, luxury goods with fashion houses like Louis Vuitton, album covers and an exclusive merchandising collection with Major League Baseball.
Now, he has filled a U.S. museum hall with portraits in every color as part of an exhibit opening Sunday at the Cleveland Museum of Art. “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” an update of an exhibit first shown in Los Angeles, features more than 100 ranging works.
Murakami, known for his smiling rainbow-colored flower icon, intentionally layered light-hearted themes with historical events linked to trauma, he told The Associated Press.
The art explores the impact of trauma on people and culture, said Ed Schad, curator and publications manager at contemporary art museum The Broad in Los Angeles.
The portraits “have historical roots and that they could actually tell you a lot about what a society is doing, how healthy a society is, what a society is responding to,” Schad said. “What society is responding to most often in this exhibition is the idea of trauma.”
One sculpture depicts Murakami and his dog with half of their bodies in anatomical form, showing their bones and organs, while the other half is their outward appearances. The sculpture, Pom and Me, is described as Murakami’s interpretation of his experience in the West through the lens of his Japanese identity.
Square portraits featuring cartoonish flowers with facial expressions cover one wall of the exhibit, organized by background color to create a rainbow effect. One flower is wiping a tear from its eye, while another appears to be a zombie. One has blood dripping from its mouth. One appears to be in awe watching fireworks.
Though there are no obviously direct visual references to historical events, the museum said the art can be seen through the lens of three events in Japanese history: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States during World War II, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, leading to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Murakami said it’s a bit of a misunderstanding that his work “is very easy and very popular.”
“But this is okay because this is one of my tricks,” he said.
What someone might admire about his art as a child, Murakami said, would likely not be what is admired by an adult.
Before entering the exhibit on the lower floor of the museum, visitors can walk through a version of the Yumedono, the octagonal-shaped building at Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan. Murakami said he was inspired to create the structure after viewing the 2024 television series “Shōgun.”
Inside the structure are four new paintings — “Blue Dragon Kyoto,” “Vermillion Bird Kyoto,” “White Tiger Kyoto” and “Black Tortoise Kyoto” — created between 2023 and 2025.
The ticketed exhibit runs until early September.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) — A heavy police presence could be seen near Meadowbrook Avenue and Market Street in Boardman after one vehicle flipped on its roof Saturday evening
It happened a little before 7:30 p.m. on Market Street, right at the Meadowbrook Avenue intersection.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, multiple people involved have been taken into custody.
Large police presences were also at the corner of Southern Boulevard and Meadowbrook Avenue, and at the intersection of Indianola Avenue and Market Street.
Our crew is on the scene, but right now we’re unsure if there are any injuries or how the crash happened.
The intersection is currently blocked off while crews work.
The crash is under investigation.
No other information has been given at this time.
Dominic O’Brien contributed to this report.
HOCKING HILLS, Ohio (WJW) — Visitors to Hocking Hills will soon have an opportunity to experience the beauty of southeastern Ohio in a whole new way.
Jake Ryan is one of the visionaries behind the Hocking Hills Mountain Coaster, a brand new attraction set to open next year.
According to Ryan, the coaster will feature 3,640 feet of track that will bob and weave through the trees at speeds up to 26 miles per hour, allowing riders to view Hocking Hills through a completely different lens.
Crews will break ground on the project August 1.
“We are so proud to bring this to the Hocking Hills community. This isn’t just for the tourists who visit this incredible area, it’s for the local community too, and we truly believe it’s going to be a blessing for everyone in the region,” Ryan wrote on social media, announcing the project and sharing a video rendering of what’s to come.
Ryan, who also manages more than two dozen cabins in the Hocking Hills area, told Fox 8 News visitors to the scenic region often share feedback about their stay, and one thing they always seem to ask for is more attractions.
Though rich with hiking trails, waterfalls, caves to explore and more, Ryan said he is filling a gap in the area with the creation of the Hocking Hills Mountain Coaster.
“It is definitely a need for the area based on feedback we get directly from guests we’re hosting,” Ryan said.
After looking across the country for different ideas and inspiration, Ryan said an alpine coaster – popular in areas like Gatlinburg, Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains – made the most sense in terms of giving visitors a unique, fun adventure they wouldn’t get anywhere else in the state.
“There’s nothing like it in Ohio,” Ryan told Fox 8. “It is a completely different experience.”
The project should be complete by late winter 2026 or early spring 2027.
Along with the coaster, Ryan said a 5,000 square foot commercial building will also be constructed to house a gift shop, merchandise and activities for the whole family.
CANTON ‒ If you have been seeing more chipmunks near your yards and gardens this year, you aren’t alone.
And it was expected, says the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
“2025 was an exceptionally hard mast year for trees in Ohio which means a surplus in food for small rodents like chipmunks,” said Monika Bowman, wildlife communications specialist for the state agency. “More food leads to more chipmunks in a cyclical nature that we expect to see.”
A mast year is when trees and other plants, such as oak drop more acorns and other seeds, which are a main source of food for chipmunks.
Chipmunks also reproduce twice a year.
“Unlike some other small rodents, chipmunks have two mating seasons,” Bowman said. “We’re coming up on the second one at the beginning of summer, so more chipmunks would be in gardens to prepare.”
Chipmunks can damage homes and gardens. They love to burrow in mulch and under logs, said Curtis Daye of Canton-based Day & Night Pest Control.
“The best thing to do to prevent animals like chipmunks from getting into your yard is to get it treated early with granular deterrents,” Daye said. “It’s safer for the yard and the chipmunks, too.”
These deterrents include plant-based remedies like peppermint and capsaicin, which can also be used to prevent chipmunks in your yard if getting it treated isn’t an option.
Chipmunks love birdseed
One food that really attracts chipmunks is birdseed.
“They really love birdseed. Chipmunks see it and say, ‘Thanks for the buffet,’” Bowman said.
Interestingly though, birds don’t need birdseed to feed on during the summer months as they can consume insects and native plants, “but if you are going to use it, add in a spicy mix to prevent chipmunks from eating it, too,” Bowman recommended.
ODNR also suggested using birdhouses on metal posts that chipmunks can’t climb.
-
Louisiana7 minutes agoCheck out the Outdoors calendar for fishing events
-
Maine10 minutes agoMaine Democrats seek a Platner-like change agent — ‘without the baggage’
-
Maryland15 minutes agoBusiness Leader Key to Maryland Buying Preakness Rights
-
Michigan22 minutes agoSturgis closure may be ‘first of more’ for Michigan rural hospitals
-
Massachusetts25 minutes agoCommentary: Massachusetts needs a journalist shield law
-
Minnesota30 minutes agoMinnesota was center of immigration enforcement. Here’s how its playing out legally.
-
Mississippi37 minutes agoMississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for July 11, 2026
-
Missouri40 minutes agoRecovery efforts continue after deadly Missouri flash flooding | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather
