I have always loved Yayoi Kusama’s work, and when I visited an exhibition of hers on a gap year in Sydney I was spellbound by her infinity mirror rooms. I immediately thought, despite being single at the time, this is a fantastic space to propose in. Fast forward around eight years and I am on one knee holding a ring out to my partner inside an infinity mirror room in Helsinki, with excited and expectant Finns looking on.
At the wedding, the breakfast was held under polka dotted pink lanterns. Kusama was a fantastic artist, who also protested for my ability to marry – performing her own gay wedding ceremonies before it was legally recognised – and inspired key aspects of my wedding. Liam, 40, Surrey Two years ago, while researching in Porto, I was encouraged by a friend to go see the Kusama retrospective at the museum in Parque de Serralves.
I was fortunate to experience her remarkable installation Dots Obsession – Aspiring to Heaven’s Love. The powerful effect she termed as self-obliteration viscerally connected with me in that room. I didn’t exist, as I dissolved, the dots were everywhere.
Humanity is blessed for her work and I’m grateful and humbled to have experienced it. David, Florida, US I’ve been lucky enough to see a huge amount of Yayoi Kusama’s work in Japan and in Europe. Hunting down remote galleries in rural Japan to see her work, and spending time viewing it with no one else there has been an absolute treat.
Sitting on the shore next to the yellow pumpkin on Naoshima [an “art island”] watching the sun set was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had. Her work brings me a sense of peace and calm. She was truly inspirational.
Rachel, London A lot has been written about Yayoi Kusama’s life and artistic achievements, but perhaps her greatest legacy lies in her ability to bring people into the experience of art, including people who don’t consider themselves art lovers, such as my mother. I loved seeing how my mum was drawn to Kusama’s image and polka-dot works when we visited Tokyo together. You don’t need pretentious art-speak or an understanding of art history to appreciate her work.
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