The Marciano Art Foundation in Los Angeles is housing a new immersive exhibit by Japanese Contemporary Artist Yayoi Kusama. With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever (2011) is a polka-dot enthusiast’s dream — as every inch of the space is covered in large vibrant polka dots, lending itself to a mildly hallucinatory experience that is as photogenic as it is fun to walk through.
If you don’t know who Yayoi Kusama is, chances are you’ve at least seen one of her insanely-popular exhibits across your social media app of choice. In 2015 when Los Angeles contemporary art museum The Broad first opened its doors, almost instantly photos of Kusama’s selfie-friendly Infinity Mirrored Room-The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away started to pop up across social media.
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The Infinity Room, with its collection of LED lights and mirrors, was such a hit that the Broad had to extend the hours of the exhibit in order to accommodate the hoards of people eager for their 30 seconds of exhibit time. But the Marciano Art Foundation is a significantly smaller space, and Kusama’s With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever, is housed within its own gallery area on the 3rd floor of the museum, making it much more accommodating. Currently 15-20 people are allowed in at a time for two minutes.
Because the entire space is covered in polka-dots, visitors will have to wear paper slip-ons over their shoes (if you plan on wearing shoes with a heel, expect to take them off). Once inside, it’s a bit of a mad-rush while everyone tries to get their perfect photo. We aren’t here to tell you how to enjoy Yayoi Kusama’s new exhibit — or any exhibit for that matter — but you owe it to yourself to go in for a second viewing once you’ve taken the perfect photo. It’s absolutely worth experiencing the whole thing with your eyes only.
With this new installation, Yayoi Kusama invites you into a world where the artificial mimics the organic. It’s the feeling of stepping into a painting and becoming part of the artwork itself. The photo you inevitably end up humble-bragging to your followers with will become its own unique piece of art — that’s what makes Kusama’s work both so exciting and “of this era.”
The absolute best part about the Marciano Art Foundation (aside from being housed in a Freemason temple) is it’s totally free. You just have to reserve your spot ahead of time. In addition to Yayoi Kusama’s Tulips, the exhibit will also feature paintings by Kusama as well as a terrifying and nightmarish exhibit by Olafur Eliasson, and work by Albert Oehlen and Peppi Bottrop, as well the Marciano contemporary art collection.
Reserve your tickets now, if Yayoi Kusama’s With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever proves to be even half as popular as her Infinity Rooms, you’ll need to plan ahead.
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