Art Love: Yayoi Kusama

When I first saw this art installation I immediately thought of space mountain amusement park ride in Disney Land.  When I was about 5, I clutched my mother's hand so tight while waiting for the ride and I can still remember how scared I was but my mother laughed and insisted that I be brave.  I hated the ride but I loved all of the twinkling lights and how they glowed and flickered around me.  What makes an installation powerful? It's when it can transport you to another planet, which Yayoi Kusama does just that.

These art installations by Yayoi Kusama is a series entitled Mirrors/Infinity and is a room surrounded by mirrors and LED lights.  She embracing many mediums like painting, writing, fashion and sculpture. I had to include a picture of her because she is her art and is a living piece of her work.  Can you tell she is obsessed with polka dots? and at 84 is known as one the most important living artists from Japan. 

She currently and voluntarily resides in mental facility since the late 70's in Japan This facility houses her art studio and is a few minute walk to another studio and from what I hear is piled high with art. She has had hallucinations and obsessive compulsive disorder since she was a child and channels her neurosis into her work.  She has shown in tons of major places like MOMA, Tate Modern and the Whitney and many many many more big places all over the world.  In 2008 one of her paintings was sold at Christie's Auction House for almost 5.8 million which was a record for a living female artist. Geez, I know pretty amazing- a case of genius meets insanity.