Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph by Jason Schmidt.
If you haven’t yet heard of Yayoi Kusama, we’d venture to guess that you’ve either been living underneath the world’s largest pumpkin for at least the past two decades, or you’re one of those types who doesn’t own a smartphone. But even then, surely you’ve walked past a Louis Vuitton boutique at least once this year?
A recent global survey by The Art Newspaper, for one, has proven that Yayoi Kusama is in fact the most popular artist in the world. It may come as a surprise then, that Fireflies on the Water — one of Kusama’s most iconic Infinity Mirror Rooms (which is itself perhaps her most iconic series) — is being exhibited in Italy for the very first time.
Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph by Sheldan C. Collins.
Those venturing to Bergamo through 24 March can experience the exhibition ‘Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente’ at the Palazzo della Ragione. The exhibition, of which Phillips is a proud sponsor, brings Kusama’s contemporary visual language to one of the oldest municipal buildings in Italy. Curated by Stefano Raimondi, the exhibition is promoted by The Blank Contemporary Art in cooperation with the Municipality of Bergamo.
If you need further reason to visit the stunning alpine city of Bergamo (and we struggle to see how you could), the exhibition is taking place during the Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 and is part of the program of the ARTDATE Contemporary Art Festival.
Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph by Sheldan C. Collins.
On entering the exhibition space, viewers walk a pathway that explores Kusama’s imagination and research practice through poems, films, and documentation. This introduction creates a space for physical and digital sharing of the unique experience and allows viewers to consider Kusama’s world from different perspectives.
Fireflies on the Water — the centerpiece of the exhibition — is on loan from the Whitney Museum of American Art, offering a unique opportunity for art lovers outside of the United States. The room-sized installation is meant to be viewed alone, one person at a time. Upon entry, viewers stand on a dock-like surface to discover a space that appears infinite, embodying a hallucinatory approach to reality. All surfaces of the dark room are covered in mirrors and a sense of calm emanates from a pool of water in the center. 150 small lights dangle from the ceiling, leaving the impression of fireflies. Linked to the artist’s personal mythology and the healing nature of her process, Fireflies on the Water is also referential to varied sources, including the myth of Narcissus and the landscape of Japan. Taking the step into the room is an invitation to surrender to a meditative magic that The New York Times has described as like “being alone on the edge of the world.” It's a step you won’t regret taking.
Discover More from Yayoi Kusama: Infinito Presente — through 24 March >
