Thousands of visitors will wait in hours-long lines to see Yayoi Kusama's exhibitions, "Festival of Life" and "Infinity Nets," at David Zwirner's Chelsea locations and new Upper East Side gallery, respectively.
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All Kusama's museum exhibitions have record-breaking attendance for the museums in question, said Hanna Schouwink, director of the David Zwirner Gallery.
Yet what is it that makes 88-year-old Kusama, in her seventh decade of making art, so appealing in the age of Instagram?
Beyond its stimulating, exciting and photogenic qualities, Kusama's work has a Utopian message that connects with people, said Lucas Zwirner, the gallery's editorial director.
"There's an underlying sensitivity, authenticity and depth that I think lots of young people are attracted to," he said.
PHOTO GALLERY: YAYOI KUSAMA'S IMMERSIVE ART
The Japanese-born Kusama formed her identity as an artist when she came to New York City in late 1950s. Here, she befriended several influential artists, including Andy Warhol and Donald Judd, and was an important member of Minimalism and Pop art.
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Her art is known for its obsessive, hallucinatory qualities that creates a sensory experience and highly personal character. Visitors will leave feeling inspired, Zwirner said.
The "Festival of Life" exhibition debuts two new infinity mirror rooms, Kusama's signature installations that use mirrored reflections to offer a sense of infinity.
A statement on behalf of the artist:
Artist statement
"LONGING FOR ETERNITY" invites viewers to see through 3 peepholes into a room filed with miniature color-changing lights that mirror endlessly. The other, "LET'S SURVIVE FOREVER," allows visitors to walk inside a room filled with reflective stainless steel balls hanging from the ceiling and arranged on the floor.
For its first time in the United States, "With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever" is another one of Kusama's immersive installation at David Zwirner. The room is all white, covered floor-to-ceiling in the red polka dots. The same pattern covers sculptures of oversized flower-potted tulips scattered throughout the room.
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"Festival of Life" also showcases 66 paintings from Kusama's highly celebrated "My Eternal Soul" series. The "Infinity Net" paintings, on display in the Upper East Side gallery, are the latest of her work in a series that began in the 1950s, according to the gallery. These canvases feature minutely painted nets across monochrome backgrounds.
The exhibition is open now until December 16, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition is free of charge and open to the public
But visitors, beware - there will be long lines. The gallery anticipates 2 to 4 hour waits.
The "Festival of Life" exhibitions can be found at 525 and 533 West 19th Street in Chelsea and "Infinity Nets" at 34 East 69th Street on the Upper East Side.