Yayoi Kusama’s Art is Infinite (Kusama Art Exhibition at NGV)
I recently visited the Kusama Art Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. When I walked into the exhibition, I felt like I walked inside Yayoi Kusama’s mind. The realness, depth, and details that covered the walls felt infinite.
Yayoi Kusama, born in Matsumoto Japan in 1929, was also born brilliant. The dedication she has committed to her work throughout her entire life is admirable. Perhaps it’s because she committed to her authenticity and passion. Something not everybody can say they did.
Kusama has not limited herself when it comes to the making of art. From small canvas, to using objects within her art, to creating an artwork that takes up the whole room. Her art never remains inside the lines, it always goes beyond. Not long after Kusama moved to New York City. She created ‘Untitled (Offcut to Infinity net painting, 1960).’ It was her largest canvas, and more than 10 meters in length (NGV, Yayoi Kusama).
Kusama didn’t let complex ideas discourage her. For example, her Polka Dot work, where she plays with the idea of self-obliteration and infinity. After Kusama first hallucinated at the age of ten, she became obsessed with polka dots. Within these hallucinations, Kusama would self-obliterate (Goodbody, 2024). The dots created a sense of infinity through interconnecting with the cosmos. M+ Magazine writes that the main idea of Kusama's self-obliteration is to “blend in with sublime nature, observe everything, and to realise how the self is finite, at one, and interconnected with other things. In so doing, rebirth in love and equality is possible” (Woo, 2023). To self-obliterate we can exist outside of ourselves and become infinite. Kusama’s Infinity Polka Dots are a form of hope.
Kusama's art doesn’t stop there. she was unafraid to show where she stood on political stances. Within the expedition at NGV, it was evident that Kusama cared deeply about positive change. Kusama’s artwork the ‘Traveling Life’ ladder, connected to her experience being within a white, male-dominated art world as a young Japanese woman (NGV, Yayoi Kusama). Alluding to a ladder to climb. Another piece in the NGV was ‘Narcissus Garden’ where Kusama put 1500 mirrored plastic spheres on the front of the Italian Pavilion lawn. Then sold them for money to contribute to the idea that ‘your narcissism is for sale’ (NGV, Yayoi Kusama).
Kusama moved her ideas beyond canvas to fashion. Where she continued to use art to speak on issues that mattered to her. Kusama Fashion Company was established in 1969. She would create clothes that had pieces missing on certain parts of the body to show her stance on the sexual liberation movement (NGV, Yayoi Kusama).
Kusama’s commitment to her authenticity and passion within the making of her art is something that I am certain will continue to transcend the art world. Her art and ideas will continue to exist beyond the finite self as they have changed how we see the world.
Reference:
Goodbody, L. (2024, September 4). The Symbolism of Polka Dots in Yayoi Kusama’s Art. MyArtBroker.https://www.myartbroker.com/artist-yayoi-kusama/articles/symbolism-of-polka-dots-yayoi-kusama
Kusama, Y. (2024). Biography | Yayoi Kusama. Yayoi-Kusama.jp. https://yayoi-kusama.jp/e/biography/index.html
National Art Gallery of Victoria. (1950- present). Yayoi Kusama. National Art Gallery of Victoria. 15 December 2024 - 21 April 2025. Art Gallery, Melbourne VIC, Australia. Gallery URL
Woo, K. (2023, April 20). “Self Obliteration”: Yayoi Kusama’s Art and Life | M+. Www.mplus.org.hk. https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/magazine/self-obliteration-yayoi-kusama-art-life/
