Kusama: Cosmic Nature at the NYBG
What a gorgeous day it was when I went to the New York Botannical Gardens to see Kusama: Cosmic Nature which runs through October 31, 2021. 65 degrees and sunny. Perfect. I still get excited to see art again in person instead of on zoom.
Knowing I was seeing a sculpture installation by Kusama, aka The Dot Lady, I put on my polka-dot mask to get in the spirit of things. And what do you think greeted me at the entrance to the garden?
Polka dots, of course! I fit right in.
The cool thing about this sculpture was how dramatically it changed as you walked around this whimsical sculpture, called I Want to Fly to the Universe.
From the back, it looked like a completely different sculpture.
What I like most about the Kusama show is the variety of the installations. It turned out to be important to look at the map to see the highlights.
For example, one unassuming building near the entrance delighted with a mesmerizing experience of being indoors in an unending room of light-infused polka dotted pumpkins, called Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity, 2017. I would have totally missed this without the map.
A short distance away, I came upon this green house-like structure teeming with red flowers of sorts, appropriated named Flower Obsession.
As I waited online to enter, I was given this sticker on plastic and was invited to place it where I wanted. This was truly a participatory, interactive experience, a nice change of pace.
When I walked in, I could see flowers everywhere! From the wheel barrow, to the dining room table and chairs, everything was covered in red flower stickers. I took my time looking, carefully picking the territory I wanted to mark with my sticker.
I finally found some virgin territory on this philodendron plant in the corner. You can see my sticker on the right side of the leaf. It felt strange putting a sticker on a living plant, but I did it anyway. Notice how different stickers with blue centers and larger pink-ish daisies had been handed out to previous visitors.
Then I headed off to the conservatory, but was drawn instead to this large polka dotted series of irregularly shaped fingers, which turned out to be a pumpkin in motion. You can feel the motion from this view. I probably should have figured out this was a pumpkin since Kusami is obsessed with them, which she exhibits frequently around NYC and the world.
While I was waiting in line to walk through Dancing Pumpkin, a fellow visitor actually asked me if I planned my mask around the visit! Someone actually noticed.
I had plenty of time to study this view since only a few people were admitted at a time, not so much from covid precautions, as much as to prevent damage from having too many visitors walk through. The guard said this artwork had already been repaired several times.
As I finally approached Dancing Pumpkin, these finger like projections beckoned, and somehow reminded me of Louise Bourgeoise’s spider sculptures; I’m not sure why. Maybe because these spiders and pumpkin installation are so large, and are both representative sculptures with “legs” that you walk through, unlike so many abstract installations, such as those by Richard Serra. (Ok, maybe the spider comparison seems like a stretch….but it works for me.)
This is the view from inside out, where the pumpkin’s legs look like octopus tentacles or giant drips, take your pick. Ever hear of an old horror movie called The Blob?
I decided to look for a signature and finally found it.
After the Dancing Pumpkin detour, I wandered over to the ticketed Enid A. Haupt Conservatory show to be greeted by this series of whimsical, exuberant polka dotted flowers – which seemed to carry on the dancing theme.
I was delighted to find this monumental golden pumpkin hidden amidst a larger greenhouse installation, but it felt so static after seeing and experiencing Dancing Pumpkin and those exuberant flowers.
There were more polka dotted flower sculptures installed in the outdoor reflecting pool.
I couldn’t resist taking photos of these vibrant tulips scattered around the perimeter of the reflecting pool, I wondered if I could ever paint them, but they look unreal to begin with. Maybe I’ll stick to photography…
I could see the Infinity Mirror Room from a distance, which was closed when I went due to covid.
Webmaster Laura was kind enough to share her more recent photos of the Infinity Mirrored Room, saving me the $10 entry fee.
Kusama’s installations are very cool! And this one looks particularly colorful.
Then I encountered a series of white on red polka-dotted wrapped trees, a la Christo’s wrapped installations of islands, the Arc de Triumph, and more. Kusama presents us with her own unique perspective on wrapping in Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees.
Finally, I went in to the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building to see the Cosmic Nature show. Can’t miss that polka dot banner, can you?
More polka dotted cellular creatures greeted you in the entrance hall.
As I entered the gallery, I quickly encountered this sketchbook of flowers. Apparently Kusama filled numerous sketchbooks with flowers at a young age in Japan. I was enchanted by these drawings, which I couldn’t photograph myself, especially since our upcoming Ikebana lesson had us drawing details of our arrangements.
After studying the few Kusama’s drawing included in the exhibit, I was eager to get started on my own sketches. I hadn’t drawn flowers in years – I was too busy with food and vending machines.
As you moved deeper into the gallery, Kusama’s vibrant, whimsical, biomorphic cellular shapes and colors greet you, like old friends.
There was one painting called….that spoke to me. It called to mind my Cosmic Oreo.
By this time, it was past 1pm and I was hungry for lunch. My last stop on the map was this major installation. From a distance, I thought it only merited a quick walk through.
As I got closer to Narcissus Garden, 1996/2021, I realized I had been too quick to judge. I had underestimated the multisensory aspect of the installation. So I dug deep in my purse and found a small pumpkin seed snack bar (how appropriate for this show!) to tide me over.
The first surprise was that each sphere reflected the white fluffy clouds floating in the blue sky, like mini holograms of the cosmos.
Then, what looked like a static installation was anything but. The silver balls drifted slowly from side to side as the gentle breeze kicked up a notch. I took a seat and watched them move back and forth, which put me in a meditative state for a while.
Not only did the balls line themselves in natural rows, which was unexpected, but they clinked against each other making subtle sounds. The longer I stayed and the more present I became, the louder their “voices” seemed.
As I walked out, the balls were on their slow, steady march across the pond once again, accumulating along the opposite side.
This was a satisfying end to a lovely day.
I would highly recommend a visit to the NYBG to see the show, and to enjoy the gardens. The restaurants are open, which makes it easier to spend the day there. Reservations are required, and are sometimes more difficult to get than expected, even for members. So make reservations ahead of time especially on the last 3 weekends in October before Kusama Cosmic Nature closes.
To get the complete Kusama experience, reserve a combination ticket including both the indoor and outdoor installations, called the KUSAMA Garden & Gallery Pass ticket. A separate $10 ticket for interior access to Infinity Mirrored Room—Illusion Inside the Heart (2020) is required with the purchase of a KUSAMA Garden & Gallery Pass or KUSAMA Garden Pass. Tickets are highly limited and expected to sell out, if they haven’t already.
Remember, if all else fails, you can probably get a Garden Pass to see everything in this blog post that’s outdoors – not to mention the rest of this expansive garden. I just made another weekday reservation for myself to stroll by and view Kusama’s whimsical installations again, this time against the beautiful ever-changing cosmic fall colors. I wonder if the silver balls in Narcissus Garden will be reflecting some rusts and reds this time around.
Hope you make time to go. Enjoy!