Last month I went to The Broad museum in Los Angeles to see the new Yayoi Kusama infinity room exhibit – Longing for Eternity, 2017. I hadn’t seen her previous and very famous Infinity Mirrored Room- The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, 2013, so I saw both on the same day. I didn’t expect to be impressed (or “wow-ed”), but that was exactly what happened. I was “wow-ed.” I was enveloped in colors, lights, blinking, changing, dimming. One doesn’t see the mirrors – just never-ending space on every side!
I’m not even sure which I liked better; they were different in experience, but similar. The latter felt like a big event – waiting in the line, in the small darkened entry. The room embraced me, peaceful, meditative.
Climbing to the top floor of the building to see Longing for Eternity, I see this unassuming on the outside box in the middle of a small gallery. People approach it and put their face up to one of several head-size wholes in the walls. I am skeptical. Then it is my turn and I see a whole lot of flashing geometric shapes varying in colors – unapologetic, self-confident, even aggressive. It feels exciting; I’m mesmerized; I stick my whole head in there and wish I had another 30 seconds to view as I am asked to make room for the next viewer.
Watch me being wow-ed; I didn’t even know my friend was recording.
Art and the Invisible 