This is the current blockbuster at the National Gallery of Victoria. Not quite up to the level of Betty Churcher's blockbusters in Canberra, where the entry queue was up to 1km long, but heavily promoted and by the time we left getting pretty full of punters. I'm starting off with images as I think it will take quite a time to add the words I want.
In some of the images yellow ellipses cover parts of faces. This is to prevent the foul Zuckerberg et al using facial recognition of innocent bystanders!
The exhibition is in 2 parts, imaginatively signed as Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 seemed to be largely standard works and the first glance suggested it would be pretty crowded. (In fact it wasn't crowded when we got in at 1030, but was building up in numbers by the time we left about 1215.)
Moving in, the works became more unusual: every element is in the shape of a phallus - some cards suggested that Kusama did this as a result of her fear of sex. I will not argue that point: but note that she has chosen to live in a psychiatric institution for several years.
Overall I found part 1 not that interesting. Getting to part 2 involved crossing the lobby and getting your ticket scanned again - so don't lose it in part 1!
Almost immediately things got more interesting, walking through the entranceway.
Then one finds the first mirror room (the boxy thing in the middle of the room).
The idea is to peer through a small hole - I have seen a similar idea in a Banksy element at the Outsider exhibition. (After peering - see below - I asked the staffer if she was tasked to assist the epilepsy sufferers after they had peered, She said not.)
A first view of infinity looking directly out from the hole.
Second view. looking at the floor.
The yellow items are pumpkin shapes. Here is Yasio Kusama talking about her use of this shape.
Here is a pumpkin shape mounted on a wall.
The exhibit cards did have some elements of post-modern wank but did also give some idea of what she was on about, which did vary through her life.
The first entry to a mirror room with relatively few, very large sewn objects.
She worked with many different types of material, Here is a porcelain flower with some paintings on the wall in the background.
Some sewn things!
More infinity mirrors, in this case involving a ladder going down ....
... and up ....
... and changing colour!
A queue for the next mirror room. A few minutes later there were about 50 folk in the queue!
This was lit by a chandelier ....
... which gets reflected.
Then on a room full of huge pumpkin shapes.
Then we came to a video of Yayoi Kusama giving a performance. She says "I will sing my song." and does so with a light high voice. Somehow I found this very moving - but can't start to explain why without getting closer than I like to gallery wank.
More dots ...
.. and tulips.
Another mirror room.
I noticed that as a group were allowed in - in for 40 seconds - some staff cracked open a door and peered in. I guess this was to check that no-one was chucking a wobbly. I have outlined the door in white below.
I can't remember 😢why this collection of "standard work" was here.
The last and, IMO most impressive, mirror room.
A message from the artist.
I call this the flower room.
Red shapes - for some reason this made me think of carpets of Sturt's Desert Pea in the Outback.
These made me chuckle: although the name on the card was "Let's exclaim the Youth" which does not particularly compute for me.
Overall an excellent exhibition. I may add to the text here over the next few days as I review the material online. I'd encourage anyone in Melbourne to visit the show.
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