Artist facts:Yayoi Kusama
Compiled by TAM Registrar Hope Ezcurra
During the coronavirus related closure of the Broad museum, fans of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away (2013) may enjoy a weekly video of the piece paired with work by local sound artists and musicians. https://www.instagram.com/thebroadmuseum
Kusama,Yayoi. “Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away”2013, wood, metal, glass mirrors, plastic, acrylic panel, rubber, LED lighting system, acrylic balls, and water. 113 1/4 x 163 1/2 x 163 1/2 in.
2. Longing for Eternity(2017), a free standing mirror-lined chamber piece of Kusama’s, is also part of the Broad’s collection; it was on view right up to the closure.
Kusama,Yayoi. “Longing For Eternity”2017, mirrored box and LED lights, 86 5/8 x 84 1/4 x 72 7/8 in.
3. She says of her iconic aesthetic trope: “One day I was looking at the the red flower patterns of the tablecloth on a table, and when I looked up I saw the same pattern covering the ceiling, the windows and walls, and finally all over the room, my body, and the universe, I felt as if I had begun to self-obliterate, to revolve in the infinity of endless time and the absoluteness of space.”
Kusama, Yayoi Japan, “The obliteration room”, 2002 to present, furniture, white paint, dot stickers, dimensions variable
4. Her much awaited New York Botanical Garden Exhibition, Cosmic Nature, has been rescheduled for spring–fall 2021. Updates may be found at: https://www.nybg.org/event/kusama/
5. Kusama recently released an impassioned poem concerning the coronavirus pandemic:
Though it glistens just out of reach, I continue to pray for hope to shine through/Its glimmer lighting our way/This long-awaited great cosmic glow/Now that we find ourselves on the dark side of the world/The gods will be there to strengthen the hope we have spread throughout the universe/For those left behind, each person’s story and that of their loved ones/It is time to seek a hymn of love for our souls/In the midst of this historic menace, a brief burst of light points to the future/Let us joyfully sing this song of a splendid future/Let’s go/Embraced in deep love and the efforts of people all over the world/Now is the time to overcome, to bring peace/We gathered for love and I hope to fulfill that desire/The time has come to fight and overcome our unhappiness/To Covid-19 that stands in our way/I say Disappear from this earth/We shall fight/We shall fight this terrible monster/Now is the time for people all over the world to stand up/My deep gratitude goes to all those who are already fighting.
6. Streaming on Hulu or available to rent on Prime, the 2018 documentary, Kusama: Infinity, is a beautiful film for those interested in learning more about her.
Speaking of movies - have you seen our Art Film Recommendations? Now is a great time to catch up on your art films: http://www.torranceartmuseum.com/art-film