Yayoi kusama fireflies on the water 2002

Fireflies on the Water
2002

Not on view

Date
2002

Classification
Installations

Dimensions
Overall: 111 × 144 1/2 × 144 1/2in. (281.9 × 367 × 367 cm)

Accession number
2003.322

Credit line
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Postwar Committee and the Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Committee and partial gift of Betsy Wittenborn Miller

Rights and reproductions
© artist or artist’s estate

Fireflies on the Water is a room-sized installation that is meant to be viewed in solitude, one person at a time. It consists of a small, darkened room lined with mirrors on all sides; a pool of water in the center of the space into which a dock-like viewing platform protrudes; and 150 small lights hanging from the ceiling. In tandem, these components create a dazzling effect of direct and reflected light, emanating from both the mirrors and the water’s surface. Space appears infinite, with no top or bottom, beginning or end. Like Yayoi Kusama’s earliest room-sized installations—including Infinity Mirror Room (1965), in which she combined mirrors and her signature polka-dotted phallic protrusions in an enclosed chamber—Fireflies embodies an almost hallucinatory approach to reality. While related to the artist’s personal mythology and therapeutic working process, it also refers to sources as varied as the myth of Narcissus and Kusama’s native Japanese landscape.

Videos

Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002

Источник

Yayoi Kusama’s:
Fireflies on the Water
June 13–Oct 28, 2012

Related Exhibition
Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. Mirror, plexiglass, 150 lights and water, 111 × 144 1/2 × 144 1/2 in. (281.9 × 367 × 367 cm) overall. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Postwar Committee and the Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Committee and partial gift of Betsy Wittenborn Miller 2003.322a-tttttttt. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph by Jason Schmidt

Yayoi Kusama’s depictions of seemingly endless space have been a central focus of her artistic career. Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water (2002)—with its carefully constructed environment of lights, mirrors, and water—is one of the outstanding examples of this kind of installation, which creates a space in which individual viewers are invited to transcend their sense of self.

This exhibition is organized in collaboration with Tate Modern, London.

Additional support for the Whitney’s presentation of Yayoi Kusama is provided by Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein, The Gage Fund, Susan Hancock/Royal T, the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, the Asian Cultural Council,
The Japan Foundation, New York, and Linda and Andrew Safran.

With thanks to Victoria Miro Gallery, London; Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo; and Yayoi Kusama Studio, Inc.
for their support of the international tour of the Yayoi Kusama exhibition.

Additional thanks to Gagosian Gallery for their assistance with the Yayoi Kusama exhibition in New York.

Videos

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002

Events

Sun,
Sept 30

Members-only Viewing Hours

Sun,
Sept 30

Members-only Viewing Hours

Sat,
Sept 29

Members-only Viewing Hours

Sat,
Sept 29

Members-only Viewing Hours

Thurs,
Sept 27

Members-only Viewing Hours

Thurs,
Sept 27

Members-only Viewing Hours

Audio Guides

This audio guide features selected works from Yayoi Kusama and the artist’s installation, Fireflies on the Water.

Installation Photography

Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. Mirror, plexiglass, 150 lights and water, 111 × 144 1/2 × 144 1/2 in. (281.9 × 367 × 367 cm) overall. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Postwar Committee and the Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Committee and partial gift of Betsy Wittenborn Miller 2003.322a-tttttttt. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph by Jason Schmidt

Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the Water, 2002. Mirror, plexiglass, 150 lights and water, 111 × 144 1/2 × 144 1/2 in. (281.9 × 367 × 367 cm) overall. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Postwar Committee and the Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Committee and partial gift of Betsy Wittenborn Miller 2003.322a-tttttttt. © Yayoi Kusama. Photograph courtesy Robert Miller Gallery

Important Ticketing Information

Timed tickets are required for entry into Fireflies on the Water. Per the artist’s wishes, visitors must enter the installation one at a time, unless assistance or a guardian is required. There is a one-minute time limit inside the installation.

Tickets are free with Museum admission and can only be reserved on the day of your visit at the admission desk. The day’s ticket allotment for Fireflies is distributed quickly, usually within the first hour after the Museum opens. Due to high demand, you may receive a time slot up to 5 hours after your arrival.

Members and corporate members have exclusive access during the first twenty minutes of each hour and may request tickets at the Member Services Desk upon their arrival. Due to the popularity of Fireflies, member tickets may not be available when you visit. The Whitney is also offering special members-only viewings of the installation each weekend morning from 10 to 11 am through October 28. Please note that corporate members are not included in these special weekend viewing hours of the installation.

Tickets are not available for group purchase.

General admission tickets purchased online do not include admission to Fireflies. Request Fireflies tickets when you redeem your online tickets at the Express Admission desk. Due to the popularity of Fireflies, tickets may not be available when you visit.

Please Note

The installation consists of a small dark room lined with mirrors on all sides, a pool in the center of the space, and many small lights hanging from the ceiling, creating visual effects that may be disorienting to some viewers. To experience the work, visitors must step up onto a 6-inch-high platform, pass through a 30-inch-wide doorway, and travel over a 30-inch-wide platform with no edge protection. A video tour is also available.

In the News

«An Infinity of Lights: Photos From the New Yayoi Kusama Exhibit
—The New York Times

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Yayoi Kusama: Fireflies on the Water Exhibit

Today I am super excited to share with you Fireflies on the Water, a traveling exhibit that I had the pleasure of visiting in Toledo, OH, USA in 2020.

“I wanted to start a revolution, using art to build the sort of society I myself envisioned.”

-Yayoi Kusama

The Artist: Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is an artist that was born and raised in Japan, but after developing art as her passion, she ended up moving to New York at age 29.

In Japan, Kusama grew up facing many challenges and obstacles. She faced depression, hallucinations, and family problems. Also, as a female artist who wasn’t interested in traditional Japanese art, her art was unappreciated and never recognized.

So, what did she do? She mailed a letter to Georgia O’Keeffe! Georgia O’Keeffe was an empowering female artist that Kusama admired.

Georgia O’Keeffe wrote back and told Kusama to move to New York city if she wants to grow her art.

So, Kusama left home and followed her passion of exposing and growing her art. Kusama and O’Keeffe kept a close bond through mailing letters. At one point, Georgia O’Keeffe even recommended that Yayoi Kusama should live with her.

New York wasn’t an instant success. She still faced trouble becoming famous and noticed since she was a Japanese female artist in a male dominated artist era.

As she creatively and cleverly came up with new types of art, for example her soft sculptures, she was starting to become recognized by the other artists.

Then, they found inspiration in her work, and started to do similar types of sculptures and paintings.

However, that inspiration wasn’t exactly “positive”. Kusama faced many obstacles in her life and art career. Some of those obstacles included the fact that her art was commonly ripped off, and she still faced depression and hallucinations as well.

She created magnificent pieces of art, but was not allowed to showcase it in famous galleries. She was becoming noticed, though.

Though, other artists like Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenberg, and more were able to make similar art and expose it in more famous and intricate galleries.

Kusama developed a deep depression after her soft sculpture art piece Accumulation No. 1 was copied by Oldenberg. He created a soft sculpture calendar that made his career skyrocket. Thus, leaving Kusama depressed for lack of recognition. She wouldn’t leave her studio for days. For more information about the artwork, click here!

After many battles that she fought, she became successful and known around the world.

That’s what I’m here to talk to you about! S he is well known for her infinity mirror rooms! This post focuses on her room “Fireflies in the Water”, but if you would like a complete list of her rooms click here!

FireFlies on the Water

Toledo Museum of Art

Fireflies on the Water is an art exhibit that is currently located at the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio until June 28th, 2020.

This particular infinity mirror room was created by Yayoi Kusama in 2002. It is a fully enclosed room where one person is allowed inside at a time. But, only for 60 seconds. So, if you are able to see the exhibit, be sure to absorb every second!

The artist uses materials such as lights, water, Plexiglas, and mirrors to create this beautiful art installation.

Kusama’s art installations have traveled around the world. To see one of her exhibits is a great feeling.

The room gives off the effect that you are at a lake at night, with thousands of fireflies surrounding you.

You stand on a wooden base that resembles a dock with water surrounding you.

The water is not moving. It is still. Similar to a lake!

Strands of LED lights hang above and around you. This is what creates the “fireflies”.

The room is extremely quiet. Upon entering, you are asked to remain silent. This enhances the tranquility of the interaction between the person and the art.

Reactions:

Our team members were able to visit the Toledo Art Museum and see the infinity mirror room Fireflies on the Water! These are the reactions!

Krista

I was really anxious about only getting to see it for 1 minute (60 SECONDS!!). Once I went in though everything melted away. It was really interesting to me that they used REAL Toledo water and the lights were hanging literally in front of you so close you could touch them.

Vincia

I love looking and creating art, so seeing Yayoi Kusama’s art medium of using glass to create an interactive installation is very incredible to see! The exhibit is around until June which is so exciting so that way everyone in Toledo can go and get their own footage of their experience in the exhibit and sharing it on all different social media platforms for the world to see!

Amanda

It is breathtaking! When the door opened, I peeked in to get a glimpse of the room, but it ‘it doesn’t compare to when you walk in. Once they shut the door, it’s almost as if you’re in your own World, as if you’re on top of that world. Your mind just feels at ease. It felt like I was looking into the future. What an illusion. I kept thinking I was going to walk too far and fall into the water. If only it was more than a minute…

Thomas

The room was really awesome! Though I could tell how someone could feel dizzy. It was like being in VR but you were actually there. I felt a bit nervous since the platform was kind of small and didn’t want to fall into the water. Other than that, I did take time to look around and see how everything reflected in such a way to make an infinite pattern all around me. The silence in the room and then the echo of me talking made it feel like I was in another dimension.

Hannah

The room was breathtaking! I could feel the obliteration intention the artist purposefully set. I felt like I was surrounded by endless relaxation and beauty. I have never felt that way before. I didn’t want to ever leave!

Jessica

I was simply amazed by the beauty that surrounded me inside of the room. My jaw dropped immediately as I walked in. It was such a calming atmosphere. I wanted to stay there forever!

This Post Has One Comment

This was a mind blowing experience for me! I had so much fun and I am glad to have shared it with my team. ^_^

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