Yayoi Kusama: Dots Obsession-Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope at the Glass House

The Glass House is pleased to present Yayoi Kusama: Dots Obsession-Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope, the third part of the Yayoi Kusama: Narcissus Garden landscape installation on view throughout the season in celebration of the 110th anniversary of Philip Johnson’s birth and the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Glass House site to the public.

As an exclusive opportunity and for a limited time, September 1 through 26, Kusama will create an “infinity room,” covering the Glass House with her signature infinity polka dots. Visitors who attend the exhibition during this period will be offered the unique experience of seeing the world through the eyes of both Philip Johnson and Yayoi Kusama simultaneously.

Dots Obsession-Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope is a triumphant statement by Yayoi Kusama about the power of art to transform pain into beauty and meaning. Kusama thoughtfully created this site-specific installation and poem. This work helps us establish a celebratory mood. It is both fun and artistic, with its playful color and varying sizes of the polka dots; yet sophisticated and architectural in the interplay of shade, shadow, and reflection. It has been an absolute privilege to work with Kusama and her studio.” -Irene Shum, Curator and Collections Manager

Dots Obsession-Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope will consist of more than 1200 low tack adhesive vinyl circles of three varying sizes (12cm, 18cm, and 25cm) applied to the walls and doors of all four facades of the Glass House. The “Pepsi Red” polka dots will at first brightly contrast the lush late summer green landscape of the Glass House, then complement the emerging autumn colors of New England. The interior application of the circles will maintain the reflective surface of the glass. When photographed from the exterior, the polka dots will seem to dematerialize. When experienced from the interior, the shadows cast from polka dots will repeat the pattern onto the floors and furniture. During this period, visitors will experience the Glass House through Kusama’s unique vision, as she sees the world as polka dots, herself “a single particle amongst billions.”