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Yayoi Kusama’s new kaleidoscopic infinity room is now open in NYC

Plus, see new larger-than-life sculptures and paintings from the famed artist.

Rossilynne Skena Culgan
Things to Do Editor
Inside the Infinity Room at the new Kusama exhibit.
Photograph: Courtesy of David Zwirner | Installation view, Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers, David Zwirner
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Step into Yayoi Kusama's vibrant, polka-dotted immersive world at this major new gallery show in Chelsea. The exhibition, "I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers," features vivid new paintings, massive new sculptures and a dazzling new infinity room from the mega-popular Japanese artist. 

The show's on view at David Zwirner on West 19th Street from May 11 through July 21 (exact hours and details here). You can see it for free, just be prepared to wait in line. 

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"I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers," which stretches across 519, 525 and 533 West 19th Street, is divided into four sections. Two sections feature sculptures, another highlights paintings and the final area houses the beloved infinity room. 

An exterior view of the Infinity Room.
Photograph: Courtesy of David Zwirner | Installation view, Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers, David Zwirner

First, the infinity room: You'll have to crouch down to enter through a tiny yellow door, then step into the kaleidoscopic mirror-covered room. It's filled with dots in primary colors—deep blue, bright yellow, stop-sign red and soothing green—all activated by natural light from the skylight above. A sense of buoyancy fills the room, which feels like standing inside an exploded crayon box. 

Sculptures of abstract yellow pumpkins with black polka dots.
Photograph: By Kerry McFate | Installation view, Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers © YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of David Zwirner

As for the sculptures, there are two sections to see. In one, you can wind through a room of abstract black-and-yellow pumpkins that stretch skyward. In the other, admire oversized flowers with polka dots and grid patterns in primary colors and pastels. Their green and blue stems stretch like a serpentine connecting each bloom.  

Paintings by Yayoi Kusama.
Photograph: By Maris Hutchinson / Courtesy of David Zwirner | Installation view, Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers, David Zwirner

As for the paintings, you'll see 36 artworks from her series titled "Every Day I Pray for Love." Much like her larger-than-life sculptures, the paintings also employ repetition and minute detail rendered in vibrant patterns.

Kusama shared this message about the show: "I've Sung the Mind of Kusama Day by Day, a Song from the Heart. O Youth of Today, Let Us Sing Together a song from the Heart of the Universe!" 

A portrait of Yayoi Kusama.
Photograph: By Yusuke Miyazaki / Courtesy the artist, David Zwirner, Ota Fine Arts, and Victoria Miro | Yayoi Kusama, 2020 © YAYOI KUSAMA.

This show marks 10 years since Kusama's first with David Zwirner and is her largest gallery exhibition to date. The 94-year-old artist has been exhibiting her influential work since her first show in Japan in 1952. 

Large flower sculptures at David Zwirner.
Photograph: By Kerry McFate / Courtesy of David Zwirner | Installation view, Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers, David Zwirner

If you want to see even more of Kusama's works, you can check out her mosaic inside the new Grand Central Madison and see a jarringly life-like robotic version of the artist at the Louis Vuitton on Fifth Avenue.

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