YAYOI KUSAMA: My Eternal Soul
- The National Art Center, Roppongi, Tokyo
- Mar 9, 2017
- 4 min read
Hey Humans!
So this is officially the first blog post about Japan I am writing. Today I visited the National Art Centre in Tokyo to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibition. It was the best art display I have ever seen.
Upon walking to The National Art Centre I realised the trees outside had been made into their own art pieces covered in Yayoi Kusama's signature polka dots. It was really sunny today and the whole place looked absolutely beautiful.
Upon entry you are hit with a room filled with loads pieces from the "My Eternal Soul" series, begun in 2009, is an ongoing project currently comprising over 500 paintings. In the early stages of production, Kusama used several sizes of canvas, measuring 162×130.3cm, or 162×162cm. Later, the size standardized to a quasi-square canvas measuring 194×194cm. The series is marked by astonishing variety, incorporating abstract patterns as well as natural forms. It represents the essence of Kusama’s art, and is an embodiment of all the elements of her corpus of work.
I enjoyed reading the different names of the individual canvas as the composition and themes of everyone was so unique. I loved the pieces My beloved Star sprite, Everyone is seeking peace, I who have arrived in the universe, Stardust in the evening glow, In sorrow I press my crimson red lips and ah yet spring goes, Spring goes.
In the middle of the room featured 3 sculptures of Kusama's more modern and vibrant art inspired by nature.
I felt so many emotions seeing how she battled her extreme depression, Psychological issues, anxiety and hallucinations though art. In her early work in the collection from 1940-50s it was very dark featuring mixed media on crop paper that she could find round her family home. She painted many hallucinations, Dark self portraits, Paintings around the themes of death and suicide. Kusama depicted abstract as well as natural forms, and developed a variety of motifs based on plant and animal forms, the planets and universe, and urban landscapes.
In the autumn of 1957, she moved to the United States and settled down the following year in New York. Her Infinity Nets paintings, vast fields of canvas filled with monochrome strokes with no center, and no structure, quickly gained attention. Following that, her work revealed obsessions with sex and food. She produced furniture with appended soft sculpture phallic forms, accumulations and installations, as well as Happenings (performance art). Her screen prints around this time predated Warhol's. In the 1960s she used mixed media to project her obsessions and sexuality.
I found that this part of her life she had so much passion and was truly beautiful in both her work and being. She had many anti war works, performance arts with other people and self portraits. Shortly after in 1973 she became very ill and was hospitalised due to mental health.
She continued creating while staying in the hospital. Motifs of her work include polka dots, nets, and phallic imagery in paintings, sculptures, and installations. Vivid colours and figurative motifs emerged as new elements during this period. She also began work in media such as collage, engraving, and in the writing of fiction and poetry. Her straightforward expression related to the subjects of death, sex, and the infinite universe attracted new audiences.
Infinite Universe was featured in LA and Adele preformed inside after seeing her work via Katy Perry's snapchat.
Walking through it was amazing. You where strictly not aloud to take photos although my phone was on silent and I managed to get a sneaky photo. The LEDs change colours and go completely black in some fazes. I actually want a room like this in my place. It was stunning.
Although since 1977 she has been living at the hospital since, by choice she has continued to produce work from the hospital in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Kusama is often quoted as saying: "If it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago."
She has continued to produce artworks in a variety of media, as well as launching a literary career by publishing several novels, a poetry collection, and an autobiography. Her painting style shifted to high-colored acrylics on canvas, on an amped-up scale. She quated that she will continue to create until her heart stops beating.
She currently features pumpkins and polka dots alot in her work as nature and obsession has been a theme throughout all her pieces. I loved this giant pumpkin sculpture outside. This pumpkin is easy to find as it is located right by the Tokyo Metro - Chiyoda line exit.
Top tip. Even if you see people inside the pumpkin don't climb in the pumpkin. The people who work there don't like it. There is a video of me getting told of somewhere but I am still to embarrassed about it right now.
At the end of the exhibit there was a plain white room which you got given coloured stickers to cover the wall in polka dots just like Kusama's work. It was really fun to be part of the art work.
If anyone is in Tokyo currently or planing to visit soon I would highly recommend a visit as it was so beautiful. Ticket prices are 1,600 yen (Adults), 1,200 yen (College students), 800 yen (High school students. Entry to the other exhibits are free other than special ones.
She also has permanent and pop up exhibits all around the world so if you are visiting anywhere that features her pieces totally go check them out as they are amazing! The former art student in me adored today and I had to share this with you guys!
What is your favourite artist or gallery to visit?
Details~
February 22 (Wed.) - May 22 (Mon.) , 2017 Closed on Tuesdays (except for May 2)
Opening hours~
10:00-18:00 *10:00-20:00 on Fridays and April 29 (Sat.) – May 7 (Sun.) (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Venue~
The National Art Center, Tokyo (Kokuritsu-Shin-Bijutsukan), Special Exhibition Gallery 1E 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558
じゃまたね
xoxo
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