Yayoi Kusama
Japan b.1929
Soul under the moon 2002
Mirrors, ultra violet lights, water, plastic, nylon thread, timber, synthetic polymer paint
340 x 712.1 x 600cm (installed)
The Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art. Purchased 2002 with funds from Michael Simcha Baevski and The Myer Foundation, a project of the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration 1899-1999, through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation and The Yayoi Kusama Queensland Art Gallery Foundation Appeal
Collection: Queensland Art Gallery
Yayoi Kusama
Soul under the moon 2002
Yayoi Kusama is one of the most significant contemporary artists to emerge from Japan. Suffering from 'rijin'sho', or depersonalisation syndrome, Kusama's art triggers visual experiences that metaphorically communicate the hallucinations, or veil of dots, she has endured since she was a child. This vibrant iconography, often transposed as nets or auras, dominates her practice.
Soul under the moon 2002 was specifically conceived for 'APT 2002: Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art', and continues her series of 'Mirror/Infinity' rooms, produced since 1963.
In this complex installation, a purpose-built room lined with mirrored glass contains scores of neon coloured balls, hanging at various heights above the viewer. Standing inside on a small platform, light is infinitely refracted off the mirrored surfaces to create the illusion of a never-ending space.
