Monday 2 April 2012

Yayoi Kusama

I recently went to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Tate Modern (9 February- 5 June). Yayoi Kusama is  Japan's best known living artist whose career has spanned over 60 years. Since the 1940s she has produced a range of paintings, sculpture, drawings, collage and installations. Most of her work has hallucinatory properties for example dense patterns of polka dots and the artist also used photography to document herself and her artistic journeys. I really admire her brave artistic approach and the creative ideas she pursued. 'Accumulation of Stamps' was one of my favourite pieces although probably the least controversial of Kusama's work.



I also thought the 'Infinity Mirrored Room' was fun. Kusama depicted infinite space that we viewers could explore ourselves. The mirrors certainly gave the impression of infinity and the lights aided a dreamlike atmosphere. I felt quite content just standing amongst all the lights looking into this impression of never ending expanse.  


I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibition although I took my mum with me and she expressed her distaste for the accumulation sculptures which included a range of domestic objects covered with stuffed fabric phalli. This is what Kusama refers to as her 'sex obsession' series. The exhibition covers a broad spectrum of work that has accumulated throughout the span on Yayoi Kusama's career and I would highly recommend this visit to the Tate Modern


1 comment:

  1. Her stamps were more controversial for the time when just an accumulation of objects was not necessarily thought of as art. A change started most likely by Marcel Duchamp.

    Just a thought!

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