 |
| Yellow Pumpkin. Naoshima Island. August 2012 |
I am fortunate to have visited the original Yellow Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama on Naoshima Island before it was swept to sea during a typhoon (I do not know if the original was ever retrieved, but I'd like to imagine an unsuspecting diver getting the surprise of his life when he sees a bright yellow pumpkin perched on the seabed). It has since been replaced in 2022 with another, sturdier, and better-anchored version. I have been to the island 3 times between 2009 and 2013, and if there's an opportunity in the future, I'd love to go back.
I heard of Yayoi Kusama's passing a while back and felt a mix of sadness and nostalgia. I remember how it felt to look at her art installations on Naoshima Island (both yellow and red pumpkins). I can remember the sense of wonder and joy. I think she only has these two art installations in the whole island collection, but in my mind her works have become synonymous with the place. It's funny that her style is so distinct that I have been able to quickly identify her other designs by sight just by those two design aesthetics.
 |
Louis Vuitton. Sasaguri, Fukuoka, Japan. August 2012.
|
 |
| Pumpkin 2005. Art Fair, Makati City. February 2019. |
0 Comments