A little over a year since her mega-retrospectives at London's Tate Modern and New York's Whitney, the wonderful and elusive Yayoi Kusama is back in the spotlight with an exhibition of new works at David Zwirner's West 19th Street gallery. Encompassing 27 new large-scale paintings, two mirrored infinity rooms and a video installation, 'I Who Have Arrived in Heaven' is a fantastic summation of Kusama's most recent efforts, which mostly discuss her ever-encroaching reality: death.
Speaking via a translator at the press preview, Kusama, who donned a yellow polka-dot dress from her collaboration with Louis Vuitton, mused: 'In my career, I have always had to climb uphill. I have always survived because of everyone's kindness and kind understanding of my works, and the support of the people around me. Now as I approach death, I'm still full of big hope that we all have the power to spread love and peace, and I can do so with my work.'
Indeed Kusama's latest paintings, which exceed six sq ft and fill two of the gallery's three exhibition spaces, are vibrant, animated depictions of basic life forms. Seas of eyes, rows of human profiles and primitive faces swirl together in the artist's frenetic style, with the odd injection of thick, snaking arteries carrying smaller circular shapes. Each canvas is filled with colours across the spectrum, bestowing the work with a joyous, wondrous spirit.
The notion of mortality hits home in Kusama's newest mirrored installation. Unveiled for the first time, Infinity Mirrored Room - The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away is a cube lined with mirrored panels and a reflecting-pool floor that rebound multicoloured light from suspended LEDs. The lights flicker on and off repeatedly, evoking the dual sentiments of time standing still and going on forever.
In the gallery's third space, another mirrored infinity room, Love is Calling, shown earlier this year at the Mori Art Museum's 10th Anniversary, holds court with its multicoloured polka-dot tentacles filling the darkened space. Adjacent is the 2010 video projection Manhattan Suicide Addict, which sees Kusama performing a song in front of an animated slideshow of her paintings.
This baring of past hardships, like numerous suicide attempts and her current residence in a mental health institution, make Kusama's current message of optimism all the more poignant. The epic show marks her debut at David Zwirner, whom she joined earlier this year after leaving the Gagosian Gallery.
Encompassing over 30 new large-scale paintings, two mirrored infinity rooms and a video installation, the exhibition is a bold summation of Kusama’s most recent efforts, which mostly discuss the ever-encroaching reality of death. In 'Infinity Mirrored Room - The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away' (pictured), 2013, suspended LEDs reflect off mirrored surfaces and the floor
Kusama's latest paintings, which exceed six sq ft and fill two of the gallery's three exhibition spaces, are vibrant, animated depictions of basic life forms
Each canvas is filled with colours across the spectrum, bestowing the work with a joyous, wondrous spirit
'Dance Party Night', 2013
'Green Solitude', 2013
'Mystery of the Universe', 2013
Seas of eyes, rows of human profiles and primitive faces swirl together in the artist's frenetic style, with the odd injection of thick, snaking arteries carrying smaller circular shapes
'Pensive Night', 2013
'My Heart', 2013
'My Visionary Life', 2013
'Women in the Memories', 2013
'Where Is the Youth?', 2013
ADDRESS
David Zwirner Gallery
525 West 19th Street
New York
-
Yannick Alléno takes over Monsieur Dior: ‘What would Christian Dior do if he were to create a restaurant today?’At 30 Montaigne in Paris, the world’s most Michelin-starred chef reimagines French gastronomy as Christian Dior himself might have dreamt it
-
Oscar Ouyang’s imaginative knitwear makes him a London Fashion Week name to watchThe Guangdong-born designer, who recently graduated from Central Saint Martins, will hold his first runway show at LFW tomorrow. As part of our Uprising column, Wallpaper* gets a preview of the collection
-
The new Nothing Ear (3) are fine-sounding earbuds with added audio functionalityNothing’s latest upgrade brings the Super Mic to its earbud range, enhancing call quality and creating a handy voice memo taker
-
Apple unveils its next-gen camera in a powerful new photography exhibitionThe new iPhone 17 Pro Max takes centre stage in a New York exhibition where artists Inez & Vinoodh, Mickalene Thomas, and Trunk Xu explore the theme of joy
-
Central Park’s revitalised Delacorte Theater gears up for a new futureEnnead Architects helmed an ambitious renovation process that has given the New York City cultural landmark a vibrant and more accessible future
-
Stephen Prina borrows from pop, classical and modern music: now MoMA pays tribute to his performance work‘Stephen Prina: A Lick and a Promise’ recalls the artist, musician, and composer’s performances, and is presented throughout MoMA. Prina tells us more
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekWith the return of back-to-school, it's back to business for the Wallpaper* team, who’ve been making the rounds at fashion pop-ups and pavilion launches. Elsewhere, we’ve been indulging in new literature and old restaurants, and taking in a farewell exhibition at a landmark gallery...
-
Curtains up, Kid Harpoon rethinks the sound of Broadway production ‘Art’He’s crafted hits with Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus; now songwriter and producer Kid Harpoon (aka Tom Hull) tells us about composing the music for the new, all-star Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza’s play ‘Art’
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekHere in the UK, summer seems to be fading fast. Moody skies and showers called for early-autumn rituals for the Wallpaper* team: retreating into the depths of the Tate Modern, slipping into shadowy cocktail bars, and curling up with a good book
-
Richard Prince recontextualises archival advertisements in TexasThe artist unites his ‘Posters’ – based on ads for everything from cat pictures to nudes – at Hetzler, Marfa
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekAnother week, another flurry of events, opening and excursions showcasing the best of culture and entertainment at home and abroad. Catch our editors at Scandi festivals, iconic jazz clubs, and running the length of Manhattan…
