Sponsored by Louis Vuitton: it would be difficult not to predetermine Yayoi Kusama’s Tate retrospective as aesthetically superfluous however the experience has left me enriched if not a little congested. The excessive nature of the show resonated early, the entrance of giant dotty inflatables and the plasma tv which rotated a seven minute biographical film of Kusama generated a swift platform for the audience to read Kusama as a lyrical genius. Tate has wall space, a lot of it, that allowed for a pictorial timeline of Kusama’s recognized work, in addition to this poster of sorts we have the benefit/luxury of a bit of retail before we go see some art. Several shops leading up to the exhibition provided visitors with books, mags, household merchandise and prints – this early ladling of dot iconography and biographical context creates several impressions that doesn’t just supplement a personal context for the audience but it augments our vision, we idle underneath the larger than life balloons as we idle through that first entrance, welcome to Kusama’s world…Tate’s retrospective encompasses over sixty years of endeavour, this exhibition seeks to highlight the artist’s moments of most intense innovation staged as a series using fourteen rooms that unfolds over time curated by Frances Morris who focuses on
‘the moment of genesis of each idiom, showing them as they emerged … and the full creative energies. Some of these rooms show self-contained installations while others include individual pieces.’
I think that means we will be presented with the obsessive wonders of Kusama that will be categorized in consumable parts.
Tate, with it’s weapons unfolds the genius as it intends. Room one is a modest start with off-white walls, eight paintings from 1949 to 1955, the first painting which is effectively titled, Earth of Accumulation 1950 distils a sense of anticipation of creative dynamism. The first two rooms are devoted to Kusama’s early works, the second room taking more of an organic approach to display, with 34 framed pieces crammed in a relatively small room thus planting the seed of obsessive creativity.
Akira Tatehata conversation with Kusama reiterated her endless time spent alone, that this solitary act was monotonous but a way of release. Kusama has an illness of depersonalization and through this net paintings, kept her sane and untroubled. The straight and formal organisation of the paintings reinforced the complex and clinical process – we are expected to look upon the minimal space as disturbing yet graceful.
Self-Obliteration (Net Obsession Series) 1966When Kusama left New York to return to Japan in 1973 she lost notoriety, this un-sustained acclaim meant the extra biographical facility was helpful. The accounts of Kusama’s life is given heavy prominence which breeds a voyeuristic journey through the extensive exhibition space, the sense of voyeurism expands, room to room, archive to sculpture. The glorious archives instead of hindering cement an intimate depth to the paintings, videos and installations.
Room 12, the ultimate staging has commenced - the audience has arrived at I’m Here, but Nothing 2000 – the therapeutic qualities of the Infinity Net paintings (room 3) and then the darkly sensuous stills of her Walking Piece 1966 (room 6), each room has led us farther into her hallucinations. Room twelve was a well lead step into the mind of Kusama, an ironically pleasurable tour of her self-perceived obliteration. The colours and fluorescent strength of the dots invades the space, the high ceilings and neutrality of the previous room strengthened the impact – we’ve stepped into something hauntingly beaufiful (yet futuristic). The wonder of the dark space and eerie domestic furniture overrides the contextually lost phallic forms of rooms four and ten.
Tate Modern has almost created a biographical walk-in 3d tour that conditions us to absorb the life details and life productions of Kusama in a voyeuristic craze. The finale light installation, much like I’m Here, but Nothing (2000) diminishes the observer into what resembles a galaxy - a space that requires no launching rocket, the artist has again through installation has innovatively brought her obsessional vision to it’s limit, creating environments which overwhelm the visual and cognitive apparatus of the viewer with her maniacal imposition of colour, shape and pattern (Rosyln Oxley9 Press Release). I couldn't round it up on my own.
