Kusama exhibition set for Kaohsiung

2015-02-04

A Taiwan retrospective exhibition of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama opens Feb. 7 at Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, highlighting an array of her eclectic pieces over the last 60 years.

“A Dream I Dreamed” showcases around 120 iconic artworks in six categories, with several new pieces created especially for the event. After wrapping up May 17, the exhibition reopens June 6 at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung City.

“It is our great pleasure to welcome the works of Kusama,” said Shih Che, director-general of Kaohsiung City Government’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Feb. 2. “We are confident this show will expose more locals to her creative genius.”

Named one of the most influential artists of the 20th century by UK.-based daily The Times, 85-year-old Kusama is renowned for her ever-present pumpkin and polka-dot motifs, as well as a passion for color and willingness to employ less-conventional artistic techniques.

According to KMFA, Kusama once described herself as an “obsessive artist” not limited by any form or structure. Her works in surrealism, abstract expressionism, minimalism and pop art grace the collections of nearly 100 museums worldwide.

One of the new pieces for Taiwan is “Dots Obsession, 2015.” Comprising dotted balloons hanging from the ceiling, resting on the floor and suspended in various positions, the installation challenges the viewer to lose themselves in Kusama’s world of expansive hallucinations.

Another featured installation, “Infinity Mirrored Room－Brilliance of the Souls,” was created last year and echoes “Love Forever,” a Kusama debut piece from 1966. Ceilings and walls covered with mirrors produce a feeling of endless reflections and limitless space.

But the biggest draw will be the ongoing painting series “My Eternal Soul.” First exhibited in London four years ago, the works boast extravagant colors and biomorphic patterns representing the cycle of life, death and birth.

This is not the first time for Kusama to exhibit in Taiwan. In 2013 she captured the imagination of locals with her installation “Footprints of Life” at Taoyuan Land Art Festival. A pond filled with black-spotted pink snails symbolized the energy of life and harmony between art and the environment.

As a token of exhibition sponsor Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc.’s generosity, KCG’s Shih said all patrons under the age of 15 will be admitted free of charge. “This gesture will certainly prove popular with the youth of southern Taiwan and further grow her legions of fans.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=227095&CtNode=413)