Selected as one of “The 100 Most Influential People” by TIME magazine in 2016, Yayoi Kusama is also known as the queen of avant-garde. Over six decades into her career, Kusama continues her artistic pursuits with her very own designs, including the symbolic dots and pumpkins, as well as “INFINITY MIRRORS”, the highlight of this exhibit.
This exhibit is currently on tour around the world, and tickets have consistently sold out in cities like Seattle, Washington D.C. and Stockholm. The Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto was its only destination in Canada, and of course, took the whole city by storm. Pre-sale tickets were available online multiple times, but were sold out the same day each time, a testament to the popularity.
The exhibit consisted of 6 artworks, each one in a separate room. Only 2 or 3 spectators were allowed at a time in each room, and each group only had 20 seconds to see, appreciate and take photos. Despite such restrictions, the popularity of the exhibit never seemed to wane.
During the three months of the exhibit, Kusama’s artworks seemed to cast a spell over the city of Toronto and will surely do the same in its next destinations. All we can do is hope for another chance to witness her magic to come around.
