Yayoi Kusama to Bring Her World-Renowned Infinity Polka Dots to Philip Johnson’s Glass House

The Glass House celebrates two big moments this year.

Yayoi Kusama. Photo: Courtesy of David Zwirner & the Broad via Facebook.

Yayoi Kusama is taking three of her world-renowned works to New Canaan, Connecticut to help the Glass House celebrate two big moments in its history: its tenth anniversary since it opened to the public and what would have been architect Philip Johnson’s 110th birthday.

According to Christa Carr, director of communications for the Glass House, Kusama has been working on her installation pieces from her studio in Japan. Narcissus Garden and Pumpkin will be the first to arrive in May, followed by a special iteration of Infinity Polka Dots on view during September.

“It’s truly an honor that she agreed when we proposed an exhibition,” Glass House curator Irene Shum told artnet News in a phone interview. She added: “It started with the Narcissus Garden and it grew from there… The timing was perfect.”

Yayoi Kusama, <em>Narcissus Garden</em>.<br>Photo: Courtesy of YouTube.

Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus Garden.
Photo: Courtesy of YouTube.

The first version of Narcissus Garden, which featured 1,500 plastic silver balls, appeared in an unofficial installation at the 33rd Venice Biennale in 1966, with help from artist Lucio Fontana. (Kusama later represented Japan at the 45th Biennale, in 1993).

For the Glass House, the Japanese artist is rendering a new fleet of steel spheres to float along the estate’s Lower Meadow. According to a statement from the museum, visitors can expect “mirrored surfaces [to] reflect the surrounding Pond Pavilion, wooded landscape, and sky.” A version of her formidable steel Pumpkin will also be on view on a nearby hill.

Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2013) Photo: © Yayoi Kusama, courtesy Yayoi, Kusama Studio Inc., Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore and Victoria Miro, London.

Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2013) Photo: © Yayoi Kusama, courtesy Yayoi, Kusama Studio Inc., Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore and Victoria Miro, London.

As the world’s most popular artist as well as the most expensive living female artist, Kusama’s success at the Glass House is almost certain. She was recently named in TIME magazine’s list of 100 most influential people. On the gallery front, Kusama’s year with David Zwirner has her extending her reach to new markets with an impressive number of international shows.

“It’s her big project this year,” says Shum, “and we’re just really excited.”

Yayoi Kusama’s Narcissus Garden and Pumpkin will be on view at the Glass House May 1–November 30, 2016. Kusama’s special installation, “Infinity Polka Dots on the Glass House,” will be on view from September 1–26, 2016.


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