5. A courageous journey into the self
The infinity room reflects the endless mystery of the psyche.
suggested reading method
To best savour this artwork, please take a moment to eliminate distractions. Consider minimizing all other windows on your computer; putting other devices (phone, tv etc) aside; taking a deep breath, to the full extent of your lung capacity; and focusing solely on the “artwork” section.
Once you’ve processed that to your satisfaction, the rest of the post is optional reading, provided only to share my own impressions and reasons for choosing this piece.
artwork
Infinity Mirror Room - Phalli's Field (Floor Show) by Yayoi Kusama. 1965. Photograph from installation piece.
interpretation
The other day, I watched Kusama: Infinity (2018), documenting Yayoi Kusama’s life and works. I knew her from her popular, Instagrammable installation rooms and her dotted pumpkins, but I had no idea of her tumultuous past.
Kusama bravely moved to New York in the 60s – a time when female, Asian artists were essentially unheard of – to realize her artistic vision. She was an independent thinker, ahead of her time, and the art establishment didn’t catch up with her until the 80s. Through this first Infinity Room, Kusama realized her primary, iconic themes: polka dots, the concept of “infinity,” and psychological liberation through obsession with detail.
Kusama had a traumatic childhood, once coming across her adulterous father in a compromising position. Meanwhile, her mom took out frustration on Kusama and her siblings, making her anxious, depressed, and afraid of sex. Kusama speaks in interviews of hallucinatory visions, and her work as “self-therapy”: “I paint [the dots] in quantity; in doing so, I try to escape.” I know from my own art that one can get lost in repetitive action, and so on some level, this obsessive method of creation may help Kusama overcome her trauma.
The shapes covering the floor of the room must have taken ages to fill and stitch together, not to mention paint so evenly and methodically. These bulbous, almost monstrous creations suggest Kusama is confronting her fear. They represent infinity in terms of the time commitment to make them, as well as the effect of a seemingly-endless sea of objects, reflected against the walls.
Moreover, the idea of an installation room with mirrored walls was one of Kusama’s additions to 20th century art. Beyond the objects confronted inside, this can also be a space for reflection on the self and the body. Kusama wears a skin-tight, bright red leotard, and in other photographs with her infinity rooms even went partially- or fully-naked. I tend to think this is self-empowerment, more than subversion simply for the sake of radicalism.
The ultimate effect of this piece is eerie, otherworldly, yet liberating as Kusama confidently stands by her work and her vision.
context
Yayoi Kusama (1929- ) is a Japanese painter, sculptor, poet and performance artist. Born in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, Kusama defied her family’s wishes for her to get married and settle down, and instead studied art and moved to New York in the 1950s. She achieved some success in local galleries, but also faced criticism for her “happenings”: public nude performances where she would paint on herself and others’ bodies. She moved back to Japan and sought psychiatric help.
Eventually, Kusama was chosen for a solo showing at the 1993 Venice Biennale, and achieved a revival through retrospective exhibitions. To this day, Kusama is an active artist exploring immensely detailed and colourful motifs. Her Infinity Mirror rooms are exhibited worldwide, and tickets regularly sell out.
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