Yayoi Kusama: A Pioneer of Pop Art and Feminism
Breaking Barriers Through Adversity: Despite her struggles with mental illness, Kusama has continued to produce groundbreaking art.
Candelier of Grief, Yayoi Kusama ,Tate Modern
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist who is known for her use of polka dots, infinity rooms and soft sculptures. She has been called the "Princess of Polka Dots" and the "Grandmother of Pop Art." Kusama has been creating art for over 70 years and her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries all over the world. She is one of the most popular and influential artists of our time.
Kusama was born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929. She began drawing and painting at a young age, and she was always fascinated by the infinite. As a teenager, she began to experience hallucinations, and she often saw fields of polka dots. These hallucinations would later become a recurring theme in her work.
In 1955, Kusama moved to New York City, where she became involved in the Pop Art movement. She was one of the few women artists in the movement, and she quickly made a name for herself with her bold and colorful paintings. In 1965, she created her first infinity room, which is a room that is filled with mirrors and lights that create the illusion of infinity. Infinity rooms have become one of Kusama's most popular works, and they have been exhibited all over the world.
‘Forget yourself. Become one with eternity. Become part of your environment.’
~Yayoi Kusama
In 1977, Kusama returned to Japan and has lived there ever since. She continues to create art, and she is still as active as ever. She is a true icon of the art world, and her work continues to inspire and amaze people all over the world. Her work has been praised for its originality, its humor, and its ability to connect with people on a deep level. Kusama is a true icon of the art world, and her work will continue to inspire and challenge people for generations to come.
Looking through one of the windows into a mirrored sculpture. The space inside the cubes seems to go on forever. Faces peering in - including our own - are reflected infinitely alongside multicoloured circles. From early in her life, Kusama has experienced visual hallucinations. She recalls a childhood memory: ‘Oneday after gazing at a pattern of red flowers on the tablecloth I looked up to see that the ceiling, the windows and the columns, seemed to be plastered with the same red floral pattern.
‘‘The Universe As Seen From The Starway To Heaven’’
~Yayoi Kusama
I saw the entire room, my entire body and the entire universe covered with red flowers.’ She felt as if she was disapearing or dissolving. She describes this as ‘self-obliteration’. Using experiences like this in her art is a way for her to make sense of them and share them with others.
Mirror, dots and repetition have long been important aspects of Kusama’s work. This is one of her most recent sculptured, made specially for this exhibition. It recalls her first mirror installation, Kusama’s Peep Show or Endless Love Show 1966.
Images: INFINITY MIRROR ROOMS EXHIBITION, TATE MODERN
Photo: Razvan Chiorean g a l l e r y
Free for members
18 May 2021 – 28 April 2024
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
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