Taking in the kaleidoscopic wonder (or taking 1,000 selfies) at the buzzy Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario is the thing to do in Toronto this spring—if you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, that is. The legendary Japanese artist’s infinity rooms are in town (for their only Canadian stop during this North American tour) at the AGO until May 27, so time is running out to stroll through the grand retrospective. Here’s (some of) what you can expect to see/miss out on in the exhibit’s six rooms.
Love Forever
Kusama’s 1966/1994 hexagonal room has mirrors on all sides and two peepholes that let you stare at yourself (and a friend) into infinity.
Dots Obsession — Love Transformed into Dots
Step into a world full of large, polka-dotted balloons with this installation in 2007. In an Inception-like twist, within one of the balloons is a mirrored room—featuring more of the round objects, of course.
Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity
Kusama created this room of flickering golden lanterns and what seems like endless black space (courtesy of mirrored walls) in 2009 as a reflection on death and a possible afterlife.
Phalli’s Field
This trippy room features fabric tubers hand-sewn by Kusama herself in the ’60s to evoke hallucinations of phallic surfaces. The artist grew physically and mentally exhausted by the work, so added mirrors to the room to extend the effect.
The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away
You might recognize this iconic Kusama room made to appear like stars in the galaxy from when Adele performed in it for the 2016 Brit Awards when the exhibit was in L.A.
All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a frequent motif of Kusama’s, who took an interest in the fruit after visiting a farm with her grandfather as a child. (Pro tip: you won’t be able to get your own snap in this particular room, as photos aren’t allowed for safety reasons.)
Newsletter
For the latest in fashion, beauty and culture, sign up to receive ELLE's daily newsletter.
