Yayoi Kusama, Day 13, 09/08

Earlier today I did some photography where I associated people I knew with certain colours and patterns/textures to their personality. During this task I was reminded of Yayoi Kusama's work. Her artistic career is deeply rooted in her fascination with patterns and colours. Her use of bold, vibrant colours, creates a visually stimulating and emotionally charged experience. I think the combination of colours and patterns in her art can evoke a very wide range of emotions, from joy and playfulness to introspection and contemplation. Same goes for her patterns, specifically dots.

Yellow Trees | Yellow Trees (1992) was "the main piece from ...

Y, Kusama (1992). Yellow Trees [Acrylic on Canvas]. Forever Museum of Contemporary Art

Yellow is associated with various symbolic meanings, including optimism and happinessIn this piece, it can be seen as a representation of Kusama's own emotional state or her desire to convey a sense of joy and positivity to the viewer. Her polka dots are both intricate and uniform, covering the entire canvas. They can symbolize a range of emotions and concepts, from the infinite and the cosmic to the idea of obsessiveness or compulsion (given her own personal history with OCD). Thus, representing her personality visually. I think it's so interesting how much colour and pattern cam impact a piece despite its artistic medium, which I will take into consideration in my own work.

Apart from her famous dots, Kasuma is also known for her immersive installations that create overwhelming visual experiences. Her work has been associated to the sublime—a concept in psychology and philosophy that refers to experiences that are both awe-inspiring and frightening. Kusama's art invites viewers to confront the vastness of the infinite which, to me, prompts feelings of wonder and awe. The narrative that I love and take from the Tate Modern exhibition, is the idea that also your overwhelming thoughts seem to be endless, there is a beautiful journey ahead.

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms, Tate Modern, Blackfriars Station, Bankside, London SE1 9TG

References:

Tate (2022). An Introduction to Yayoi Kusama – Look Closer. [online] Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/yayoi-kusama-8094/introduction-yayoi-kusama.

The Art Teacher (2021). Yayoi Kusama. [online] The Art Teacher. Available at: https://theartteacher.net/2021/09/08/yayoi-kusama-artist-profile/.

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