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May 23, 2018
'Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Pumpkins' Exhibition Featuring 123 Works, Held in Kyoto | ART
ART | Enjoying Contemporary Art in Kyoto's Gion
In a Japanese space steeped in traditional architectural charm
Appreciating 'Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Pumpkins'
Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, Gion, Kyoto, celebrating its first anniversary, has grandly reopened with two new rooms (approximately 170 tatami mats) in addition to its existing three permanent exhibition rooms and one special exhibition room. To commemorate this opening, the 'Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Pumpkins' exhibition is being held from Thursday, May 3, 2018, to Thursday, February 28, 2019.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka
Focusing on 'Pumpkins,' Kusama's signature motif,
An exhibition tracing the artist's career
The 'Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Pumpkins' exhibition at Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, Gion, Kyoto, is an unmissable event, showcasing 123 works by Yayoi Kusama. It centers on the world of her iconic 'Pumpkin' motif, featuring precious early works and the 'Seven-Colored Fuji' series, created in collaboration with ukiyo-e artists.
As Yayoi Kusama herself says, 'Just as each real pumpkin has its own rich expression, no two of my pumpkins are the same,' she has created pumpkins in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and materials. This exhibition displays 35 works featuring pumpkins, including monumental public art displayed outdoors, prints, and the 'Infinity Mirrored Room – Phalli's Field,' where pumpkins multiply endlessly. Visitors can thus witness the variations and evolution of her pumpkin works, enjoying a world where no two are alike.
In the other two special exhibition rooms, titled 'The Flower Room' and 'The Fuji Room,' works by Kusama related to the room's theme are displayed. 'The Flower Room' features 47 works with floral motifs, while 'The Fuji Room' presents all nine pieces from the 'Seven-Colored Fuji' series, created in collaboration with ukiyo-e artists. The permanent exhibition rooms showcase 28 works, ranging from precious early pieces created in 1950 to 'Infinity Net' from 1963 and 'Yellow Tree' from 1992, offering a comprehensive overview of Yayoi Kusama's artistic journey from her early career through the 2000s.
Furthermore, this exhibition is operated within the 'Yasaka Club' (built in 1913), a tangible cultural property located within the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo theater, known as the venue for Miyako Odori. We invite you to experience Kusama's art in a new way within this entirely tatami-matted space, rich with the charm of traditional Japanese architecture.
Infinity Mirrored Room – Phalli's Field 2010 Aluminum Exhibition view of 'Singing in Towada' by Yayoi Kusama at Towada Art Center (2010)
Pumpkin-Yellow 2006 Etching
Pumpkin B 1999 Silk screen, lame
Amour pour toujours Citrouille (II) 2000 Silk screen, lame
Pumpkin's Nap 1993 Silk screen
Pumpkin 1981 Acrylic on canvas
Seven-Colored Fuji (Orange) – Life is Endless, Burning Up into the Universe – 2015 Woodblock print
Boat Carrying My Soul 1989
'Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Pumpkins'
Dates | Thursday, May 3, 2018 – Thursday, February 28, 2019
Venue | Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, Gion, Kyoto
Address | 570-2 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Opening Hours | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Last admission 5:30 PM)
Closed | New Year holidays
Organizer | Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, Gion, Kyoto
Cooperation | Art Consulting Firm
Inquiries
Forever Museum of Contemporary Art, Gion, Kyoto
Tel. 075-532-0270 (Reception hours 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM)