Journey to the Unbounded Universe: 영원한 여정: Yayoi Kusama

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW 

       As an opening exhibition, S2A is pleased to present Journey to the Unbounded Universe: 영원한 여정, solo works by a world-renowned master of contemporary art, Yayoi Kusama. There are scores of dots that are painted chaotically in these works, and their infinite repetition is a reflection of Kusama's childhood. Her vision of the red flower pattern on the tablecloth swallowing the entire apartment and herself occurred when she fled and hid from the abuse of her wealthy but unhappy family. Since that afterimage was engraved in young Kusama’s eyes, she suffered from hallucinations and compulsion for the rest of her life.Nonetheless, the afterimage became Yayoi Kusama's trademark, polka-dots, and nets, which became motifs for her work and were transformed into art. Moreover, Kusama mentions that the act of ceaseless repetition, by the process of filling in, lets her to fall into a state of self-obliteration, which also turned into a means of healing to escape from illusion and compulsion.Though she had risen to the rank of global star artist through an endless repetitive series of Infinity Nets and Pumpkin paintings that had been introduced worldwide, she voluntarily checked herself into a psychiatric hospital as an end-of-life patient. Kusama has been commuting from her studio near the hospital since then, continuing her experimental and various practices crossing genres from paintings to sculptures and installations regardless of boundaries.

       In this exhibition, concentrating on S2A’s collection of Yayoi Kusama, about 40 works will be exhibited including paintings of Infinity Nets and Pumpkin series, sculptures, and installations. From her early works of the 1980's to the recent works, it will be a time to deeply understand Kusama’s world of art by presenting the overall subject of the artist’s works, who has created infinitely expanding spaces like the universe and attempted to transcend the limits of reality.

       A petite Asian woman in New York who was surrounded by all manner of discrimination and prejudice has become one of the best leading contemporary artists with the modifiers, ‘Artist with the most audiences’ and ‘The highest auction price for female artists of all time’. With the hope that Kusama’s journey lasts forever and never stops, it is our goal to provide our spectators with unforgettable and pleasing memories that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. 

"My nets grew beyond myself and beyond the canvases I was covering with them. They began to cover the walls, the ceiling and finally the whole universe." -Yayoi Kusama-