Yayoi Kusama: Life Is The Heart of A Rainbow

Who is Yayoi Kusama?

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist and writer, famous for her thematic interest in psychedelic colours, repetition, and pattern, mainly in the form of dots and nets. Leaving Japan in 1957, she moved to New York City where she produced a series of paintings influenced by the abstract expressionist movement. She came to public attention when she organized a series of happenings in which naked participants were painted with brightly colored polka dots.

Kusama's work is based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, pop art, and abstract expressionism, infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. She receives several major art achievement awards and was named one of the Top 10 Living Artists of 2015. Kusama is now acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan, and an important voice of the avant-garde.

This exhibition is Yayoi Kusama’s first major survey of her work held in South East Asia, featuring over 120 works across media, beginning with her paintings from 1950s.

When, where and how much is the admission fee?

Date: 9 Jun 2017 – 3 Sep 2017

Time: All Day

Place: National Gallery Singapore (City Hall Wing, Level 3, Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery)

Opening hours:

10am-7pm   - Sun-Thu and Public Holidays

10am-10pm - Fri-Sat and Eve of Public Holidays

Price:

S$15 (Singaporeans/PR) ($10 for concession* holders)**

S$25 (non-Singaporeans) (S$20 for concession* holders)

Free for children 6 years and under, local and locally-based students and teachers, persons with disabilities and one caregiver

*concession holder: Children aged 7-12, Seniors aged 60 and above, Full-time National Servicemen excluding foreign personnel, overseas students and teachers

**While Singaporeans/PRs can enjoy free admission to National Gallery Singapore, this exhibition is a special exhibition which requires a separate ticket

Timed-entry is introduced for this exhibition for crowd management purpose, for a more comfortable experience. Tickets can be purchase at Level B1 ticketing counter but expect long queue just to get the ticket. Alternatively, like what my friends and I did, you can purchase online and collect the ticket on the day of your visit, effectively skipping the queuing line, and entering the exhibition hall directly.

Ps: I recommend not getting the late afternoon slots as this exhibition is rather heavy to be explored in a mere 2 hours (as what was suggested in the website). I started at 1pm and spent a total of 4-5 hours there. Trust me, it’s worth that much time.

What to expect?

Entering the main entrance of National Gallery, you will see a merchandise-for-sale area on your left and elevators on your right. There are huge yellow balls with black polka-dot hanging on the ceiling as you walk to the staircase towards B1, where the ticketing counter is located. If you’ve booked your ticket online, you are to collect from the same ticketing counter as well. Once you have collected your ticket, you may go back to Level 1 and take the lift earlier to Level 3, where Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery is located. However, as you come out from the lift, you will see Hall C and Hall H, which was the last 2 designated halls. Walk pass Hall H and go straight until you reach a red door with the word Yayoi Kusama written on it. That’s the entrance to Hall A. 

The Hall A exit will then bring you to Hall B entrance and as you exit Hall B, you can enter Hall C which is right in front and lastly Hall H. They are designed this way, so that you will be visiting in sequence. Alternatively, we may enter any halls as you prefer (taking the queue into consideration). We started with Hall C, followed by A and B then H, and it works just fine. Here are the major art works in each Hall.

Ps: There’s also free wifi in the gallery, and you can use that to download the free Gallery Explorer app to enjoy a short audio tour which provides a glimpse into Kusama's life and the stories behind selected artworks. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 devices are available for loan from Visitor Services at Level B1 and you may also borrow headphones from the audio guide counter.

Hall A

Infinity Nets

What it is:

Infinity nets is a consistent feature of Kusama’s practice since 1950s. Composed of small loops painted over a monochromatic based, the loops cover each canvas edge to edge with no focal point and could expand to no end, hence “infinity nets”.

My thoughts:

I was in awe to see the how Yayoi Kusama’s infinity nets evolved over the years. From a simple infinity nets drawn on paper to white monochrome to colour monochrome to multi-panels painting. Her early works on papers and white monochrome creates a simple infinity nets drawing which seems to have no end. It’s a net, and look like a net. Simple as that. However, it was her later works on multi-panels painting which impressed me. Transmigration is my favourite of her infinity nets creation. Vivid tones of blue and green loops were painted over bright pink ground, creating dots and nets which glows under the light. From a distance, it looks as if you are staring straight at the galaxy. There is another piece titled The Galaxy AQ but somehow Transmigration was more extraterrestrial.

Death of A Nerve

What it is:

Following her return to Japan in 1973, Kusama ended in a terrible physical and mental state as a result of over-exerting herself in her art works, financial hardship and anxiety stemming from Japanese media criticism. In 1976, she created this solf sculpture, comprising 100 metres of dotted stuffed fabric, symbolising internal organs, more specifically her nerves. A year later, Kusama admitted herself permanently into a psychiatric hospital, where she continues to live today.

My thoughts:

Literally mind-blown at the sight of this soft-sculpture. It seemed that the artist was in despair due to how the Japanese media had sensationalised her provocative art approach in the United States, especially nudity. Looking at this art piece, Kusama seemed to be telling us that her nerves “died”, hinting at her nervous breakdown and continues anxiety. Words are destructive weapons lethal than swords and spears, huh? It’s a saddening fact that the artist eventually admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital. Well, at least, she didn’t run away from getting treatment?

Statue of Venus Obliterated by Infinity Nets No.2

What it is:

In 1998, Kusama created a series of Venus de Milo statues, painted over with infinity net pattern. This work demonstrates how she uses nets and dots pattern as a form of “obliteration”, where the self is buried in the repetitive, labour-intensive process. It produces a visual effect of merging figures into the background, as the individual becomes one with the surrounding environment.

Pumpkins

What it is:

Kusama family owned a nursery and grew pumpkins, hence she was particularly fond of pumpkins since childhood. The artist had said that the pumpkins’ “generous unpretentious” and “solid spiritual balances” appeal to her. In fact, pumpkins were the origin of her distinctive yellow and black colour scheme.

Spirits of Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens – mirror installation no. 1

What it is:

The first mirror installation for this exhibition, it is yellow room covered with black dot stickes and a dual-sided mirror cube in the middle. The dual sided mirror box produces infinite reflections of the pumpkins sculptures in the box as you peep in through the openings.

My thoughts:

My least favourite of all three infinity rooms in this exhibition. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that this isn’t impressive, but it’s somewhat overshadowed by the other two infinity rooms. Besides that, this one made me nauseous. I guess bright lights and vivid yellow colour is too much to handle for my eyes.

Starry Pumpkin

What it is:

Exiting Hall A, and before entering Hall B, there are two large pumpkins sculptures on the corridor, both covered with mosaic tiles.

Hall B

Invisible Life

What it is:

Entering Hall B is the first installation in this hall – Invisible Life. It’s a walkway decorated with convex mirrors on white walls and wooden floor panels. The end result is reflections of dots around and within the mirror itself.

Hard to take a photo here without being photobombed

My thoughts:

I like clever, creative installation like this which fully utilise the available resources on hand. Yayoi Kusama has an obsession for dots, and round mirror itself is a dot which also reflects its surrounding. Convex mirror, in particular, when placed in abundance, creates infinite reflections of themselves in each mirror. It’s one of my favourite installation.

Infinity Mirrored Room : Gleaming Lights of the Souls – mirror installation no. 2

What it is:

The second infinity mirrored room in a white box. The outer shell was ordinary but once you step in, you are surrounded by mirrors on all four sides. As you stand on the platform, the mirror reflects everything in the room, that is the changing lights and yourself. It creates an infinity reflections, much like a kaleidoscope. Only three persons are allowed to go in at a time, and you are only given 20 seconds to experience the kaleidoscopic environment before the staffs knock on the door and open it to escort you out.

My thoughts:

I can see how this is easily everyone’s favourite. Not only that it’s an infinity room (who doesn’t like that?), it’s more interactive compared to the other two infinity rooms, as you stand within the room itself. It’s just too bad that there’s a time limit to how long you can stay in there, but it’s necessary for crowd management and we’ll just have to suck it up and be quick to snap a decent photo while at the same time trying to immerse yourself in the eye-opening, sensory experience. Get your camera settings ready before you enter.

Restricted Area

What it is:

A small section at the side of Infinity Mirrored Room : Gleaming Lights of the Souls, where photos of the artist’s controversial art performance and fashion show are on display. This exhibit contains mature content including nudity and sexual content and is restricted to those of 18 years and above.

Left Over Snow In The Dream

What it is:

When Yayoi Kusama was young, she was made by her mother to spy on her father who was at that time having extra-marital affairs. This trauma was what caused the artist to develop phobia towards man and sex. Ironically, when Yayoi Kusama started making soft sculpture, they often took the form of phallic shapes, such as this Left Over Snow In The Dream – stuffed cushion, sewn and painted in white, taking the form of phallic.

My thoughts:

I’m not fond with her soft sculpture in phallic forms as they look disgusting to me. And am I the only who think those cushions resemble stomach more? However, I respect her courage to fight her phobia, instead of running away and avoid anything that got to do with man and sex.

My Bleeding Heart and Women’s Castle

What it is:

Box constructions with stuffed soft sculptures in the shape of phallic forms painted in red and yellow hues with black dots, fitted with electric light fixtures.

My thoughts:

I fail to decipher what My Bleeding Heart means while Women’s Castle is easier to comprehend since the title gave it away. The vertically placed fluorescent light surrounded by red elements does imply that it represents a woman’s vagina.

Red Flower and Sex Obsession

What it is:

Sex Obsession is a drawing of entangled yellow tentacles, while Red Flower is another soft sculpture made from hundreds of white workmen gloves, dyed in red. These gloves are then stuffed and strung together to form a menacing flower head.

Fun fact:

I was looking up for info online on the connection between tentacles and sex, and came across “tentacle erotica” which is a type of pornography most commonly found in Japan. It integrates traditional pornography with elements of bestiality and a fantasy, horror, or science-fiction theme. Tentacle rape or shokushu gaukan is found in some horror with tentacle creatures having sexual intercourse with a predominantly female character. Tentacle erotica can be consensual, but frequently contains element of rape.

Manhattan Suicide Attack

What it is:

A video of Yayoi Kusama singing to a song written by her.

My thoughts:

The lyrics are kinda weird and depressing to us and it got us to wonder if the artist was probably under the influence of drug as she wrote this. (Errr, don’t quote me on that, kay?)

Hall C

Love Forever (2004-2007)

What it is:

A series of 50 silkscreen prints on canvas, primarily filled with chains of images including eyes, dolls, gadgets, flowers, saw blades and profiles of female faces. The pictures were initially drawn by Kusama with black felt markers, which is quick-drying and thus does not permit any revisions. This allowed the artist to showcase her tremendous dexterity and drawing skills.

My thoughts:

Despite the black and white team of this series (the walls are even black and gloomy), the theme of this drawing series seems to be of the direct opposite. Upbeat words such as “spring”, “morning”, “youth”, “flower”, “star”, “universe”, and “love” appear repeatedly in the titles. No wonder the theme to these series of work is titled “Love Forever”

I Want to Love on the Festival Night – mirror installation no. 3

What it is:

In the middle of the black room, lies another mirror installation. This is the third and last one of the exhibition. Just like the Spirits of Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, it is a peepbox, except this one has three openings of different height, which means shorter queue.

My thoughts:

Similar to Gleaming Lights of the Souls, it is filled with changing light patterns and the whole thing felt like a kaleidoscope to me. If time permit and you are not pressured by the queue forming behind you, you can play around with videos (boomerang anyone?) which is quite amusing. To take a photo of yourself, get you friend to peep through another hole and you shall see yourself with countless reflections of yours in the image.

All My Love for The Tulips, I Pray Forever

What it is:

Inspired by the artist’s love for tulips during her stay in Netherlands during 1960s, 3 potted giant tulips is set up in a white room, obliterated with colourful dots. The room is brightly lit to rid of shadows and sense of depth from our vision. This merges all the elements into an unified whole.

My thoughts:

The opening petals of the tulips are shaped like gaping mouths, giving off a magical vibe yet at the same time looks menacing. It does felt a little “Alice in Wonderland” to me, with some added dark twist to it. I couldn’t decipher what Kusama wanted to potray with this installation, yet this is one of my favourite in this exhibition.

My Eternal Soul (2009-present) (painting series)

My Eternal Soul

This is Yayoi Kusama’s largest series of paintings to date and she began these epic paintings in 2009, initially intending to complete 100 canvases. Well, apparently nothing is ever certain and the artist went on to continue this series and now comprises over 500 paintings. Only 24 of them are featured in this exhibition though. The drawings are filled with biomorphic shapes and decorative elements in a riot of bright colours. In the middle of the hall are sculptures, painted in vibrant lively hues and decorated with colourful dots.

My thoughts:

Contrary to Love Forever, the paintings of this series is painted with bright, vibrant colours but gives a rather depressing vibe. Words such as “death”, “end”, “desert”, “lost” are found among the titles of the paintings showcased. As Love Forever series concluded in 2007 while this begun in 2009, I wonder if the artist’s state of mind has somewhat change and whether she is currently in depression.

Hall H

Narcissus Garden (2017)

The exhibition concludes with 1500 steel spheres lied on the floor of Hall H.

Special Note:

We are not allowed to touch the spheres, no sit and squat near them, to prevent any accidental damage. Entrance to Hall H is limited to only about 15-20minutes per a small group of 10-ish people at a time. So, make it quick if you were to take any photos, before you get chased out by the staffs.

Epilogue

After spending the entire afternoon here, I must say that it’s an interesting place to visit, even if you are not a big fan of abstract and contemporary arts. Frankly, I’m not so much of an art person, yet I had a great time deciphering the meaning of each art piece with my fellow companions. We get what the artist was trying to depict with some art pieces (at least we think we got it) and there are also some which got us scratching our heads in trying to comprehend what she was trying to convey. It’s fun! Well, even if you don’t enjoy it that way, the act pieces and mirror installations are perfect for shutterbugs out there. Just try to be a little considerate and don’t hog one spot for way too long, kay? Good things are meant to be shared.

Yayoi Kusama, Life Is The Heart of A Rainbow is currently still ongoing until 3rd September 2017. Don’t say “bojio”!

Thank you for reading

Ps: the official hashtag for this exhibition is: #SGLovesKusama, so go ahead and search for photos uploaded on social media (facebook/instagram). Upload yours too with the same hashtag to share your favourite shots.