Come May of 2020, the New York Botanical Gardens will be hosting Yayoi Kusama’s first-ever interactive art installation.
The renowned artist who has seen crowds of art buffs and Instagrammers flock to Tokyo and other big cities across the globe to see her work, is introducing her “first-ever participatory greenhouse installation” to the Bronx.
The installation will include Kusama’s unrevealed latest works, along with many of her famous pieces. Kusama will take advantage of the 250-acre landmark, using both the venue’s indoor space and outdoor gardens. The participatory experience will be a multi-sensory exhibition focused on the horticultural, that explores Kusama’s connection with nature. While the installation is promised to vary throughout the showing months, you can expect to see Kusama’s usual giant, spotted pumpkins, botanical sketches, and of course, her signature infinity rooms.
President of New York Botanical Gardens Carrie Rebora Barratt shared,
“We are thrilled to present this unprecedented installation of Yayoi Kusama’s work, including new sculptures made especially for our site. In a lifetime of finding inspiration in nature and pushing against boundaries and biases, she developed a unique lexicon for artistic expression.
“While these works appear as mostly abstract forms to viewers, they are manifestations of how she sees the universe, specifically the natural world. We are grateful to her for sharing her vision and helping us realise this once-in-a-lifetime display at the Garden for our visitors.”
Despite facing racism, sexism and being overlooked during the initial stages of her career, today Kusama is one of the world’s most influential artists. Known as a pioneering force in art, Kusama has produced an iconic and unparalleled catalogue of work that has inspired some of the most celebrated artists. Her stylistic repetition and elaborate designs have influenced the likes of sculptor Claes Oldenburg and artist Andy Warhol to adopt an experimental approach to art.
At 90 years of age, Kusama is one of the most prolific and universally loved creatives in the art world.
As of now, the only place in Australia where you can see Kusama’s work is in Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia – the permanent home of ‘The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens.’
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