Click bait: Yayoi Kusama unveils a social media-friendly exhibition in New York

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
As social media becomes more prevalent – and unavoidable – than ever, galleries and museums that once prohibited visitors from taking photographs are now encouraging them.
Perhaps no artist is more at home on social media than Yayoi Kusama. From her awe-inspiring Infinity Mirrors to fire-engine-red polka dots, the Japanese artist’s 70-plus-year career is filled with works that inspire, empower and, yes, are popular on Instagram.
Infinity-Nets [PQBME], by Yayoi Kusama, 2017.
Kusama’s current exhibition at New York gallery David Zwirner, ‘Yayoi Kusama: Festival of Life’, encourages the viewer to experience Kusama’s works in real time – and for years to come on your feed.
‘[Her work] draws crowds of all ages [and] is a major phenomenon on social media,’ explains Lucas Zwirner, editorial director at David Zwirner. Kusama is now so popular on social media that David Zwirner is including hashtags and handles with the exhibition title for the first time.
Selfies will inevitably abound at the Chelsea gallery, which features both new and recent works. In one room, 66 paintings from Kusama’s My Eternal Soul series surround three new stainless steel sculptures. The exhibition marks the first time With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever (2011) – a full-room installation covered in Kusama’s signature spots – has been shown in the United States.
Dwelling of Love, by Yayoi Kusama, 2016.
Kusama’s two new Infinity Mirror Rooms are definite crowd-pleasers. One uses peepholes, mirrors and lights to emulate a kaleidoscope, while the other is covered in mirrors. ‘Her Infinity Rooms are some of the most Instagrammed artworks in the world,’ says Zwirner. ‘Kusama loves mirrors, and [once] said as long as mirrors give her infinity, she will continue to create mirrored artworks. The Infinity Mirror Rooms reflect the celebration of life and its aftermath.’
Once you’re done, head to David Zwirner’s uptown location, where 10 new Kusama paintings are on display.
Infinity Mirrored Room – Love Forever, by Yayoi Kusama, 1966/1994. Le Consortium, Dijon, France, 2000. © Yayoi Kusama.Courtesy of David Zwirner, New York; Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai; Victoria Miro, London; Yayoi Kusama Inc
With All My Love for The Tulips, I Pray Forever, by Yayoi Kusama, 2012. Eternity of Eternal Eternity, the National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan, 2012.
Infinity Mirrored Room – Let's Survive Forever, by Yayoi Kusama, 2017. Courtesy of David Zwirner, New York; Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai; Victoria Miro, London; Yayoi Kusama Inc
INFORMATION
’Yayoi Kusama: Festival of Life’ is on view until 16 December. For more information, visit the David Zwirner website and the Yayoi Kusama website
ADDRESS
David Zwirner Gallery
525 and 533 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal pieces
A host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Tate Modern announces The Infinities Commission for rising contemporary artists
Tate Modern’s new Infinities Commission will support experimental work from around the world
By Tianna Williams Published
-
At Cucina Alba and Alba Accanto, journey to Itay’s coast without leaving New York
Cucina Alba and Alba Accanto, a vibrant restaurant and an elegant bar respectively, have been designed by GRT Architects and Prince Street Hospitality co-founder Cobi Levy
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
How to conquer the Atomic City: the story behind U2 at the new Las Vegas Sphere
U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere redefines the 21st-century rock concert. We spoke to the band and its team about the genesis of this expansive art and music experience that marks the opening of the high-tech venue
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ceramicist Jonathan Cross on crafting art from desert materials in the Mojave
Jonathan Cross’ flourishing practice incorporates local sand and stones from his base on the edge of Joshua Tree to create minimalist works with a unique patina
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Ken Gun Min’s mixed-media montages reframe cultural influences and queer identity
South Korean-born, LA-based Ken Gun Min illusively combines painting, embroidery and illustration
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Jack Pierson’s photographs and sculptures go on show in New York
Artist Jack Pierson draws on life experiences for a new show, ‘Pomegranates’, at Lisson Gallery, New York
By Hannah Silver Published
-
TikTok gets tangible: artist Devon Rodriguez opens his first exhibition, in New York
Devon Rodriguez, who until now has reserved his work for his 31 million TikTok followers, has opened his first exhibition at UTA Artist Space’s pop-up gallery in Chelsea, New York
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Man Ray’s sculptures go on show in New York
‘Man Ray: Other Objects’ opens at Luxembourg + Co, New York, revealing their author’s ‘artistic revolution’
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Kim Gordon on art and the iPhone, band dynamics, and her next step
American visual artist and musician Kim Gordon, formerly of Sonic Youth, discusses her recent show of paintings, creative collaboration and new ventures
By Mary Cleary Published
-
‘These Americans’: Will Vogt documents the USA’s rich at play
Will Vogt’s photo book ‘These Americans’ is a deep dive into a world of privilege and excess, spanning 1969 to 1996
By Sophie Gladstone Published