Still buying pumpkins? The most worthwhile Yayoi Kusama’s work is actually……

When you think of Yayoi Kusama, the first thing you think of is “pumpkin”. From street window, public space to museum exhibition hall, and then to the shooting field frequently refresh the price record of works, “pumpkin” can be said to be everywhere, but also quite boring. As a 94-year-old artist, Yayoi Kusama has a creative career of 60 to 70 years, and his works are far more rich than “pumpkins”. Today, I will take you with me.

In the past two years, Kusama’s momentum has been too strong. In the market, she is firmly the top female artist in the world’s auction turnover; commercially, the cooperation with LV has swept the streets and alleys of the world; academically, the M Museum has held a large-scale retrospective exhibition for it, attracting a large audience.

* Yayoi Kusama and LV joint series *

This year’s spring auction, a number of auction houses are their works as the focus or lead, the transaction price is not expected. However, when people carefully analyze its high-end market records, they will find that “infinite net” and “pumpkin” occupy most of the country. In terms of quantity, of the 100 pieces before the sale of his works, more than 50 were the “Infinite Net” series; more than 30 were pumpkin paintings or sculptures.

The attacking melon

* Yayoi Kusama’s Pumpkin (L), Bronze, 241 × 235 × 235cm,2014, 2023 Spring Auction Price: HK $62.638 million, Artist’s Third Expensive Work *

However, judging from the price per square meter, pumpkin paintings are basically higher than other series, even far exceeding those four or five meters wide triplets. This all proves that pumpkin is not only a fire, but also a (virtual) high price. I have to let people sigh: one is willing to fight, one is willing to suffer.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin”, Acrylic on Cloth, 112.3 × 145.8cm,1995, 2023 Spring Auction Price: HK $56.11 million *

There are reasons for that, of course. First of all, “pumpkin” is indeed one of the most representative elements of the artist. It comes from a pumpkin field he saw at his grandfather’s house in his childhood and became popular in the 1990 s. In 1993, Yayoi Kusama appeared at the Venice Biennale on behalf of the Japanese Pavilion with the theme of “Pumpkin”; in 1994, the first pumpkin sculpture landed on Naoshima, Japan (that is, the one that was overturned into the sea by a typhoon last year), and began to appear in public spaces around the world.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Mirror House (Pumpkin)”, 1993 Venice Biennale site *

Secondly, pumpkin is to Yayoi Kusama what Campbell’s soup is to Andy Warhol, with a strong pop art gene. Full and lovely shapes, bright colors, and the ease of reproduction of patterns give this daily fruit and vegetable a strong ability to spread and identify, which can be said to be suitable for all ages.

* A 1994 pumpkin sculpture by Yayoi Kusama, located in Naoshima, Japan. *

But because of this, for the collection, the element of “pumpkin” is too unthinking, too unchallenging, and too “popular. When the collector hand a “pumpkin”, it is difficult to reflect the personality and thinking. Of course, this is not to say that we should be minority for the sake of minority, but to spend time and energy to study the different creative stages of artists, excavate and pick up leaks. This is not only more able to show taste and vision, but also more fun and sense of achievement for the collection.

* Yayoi Kusama’s Pumpkin (Lpasg), Acrylic on Cloth, 130.3 × 130.3cm, Transaction Price in 2013 and 2021: HK $62.54 million, Artist’s Fourth Expensive Work *

# Buy “early”-scarcity

In 1957, on the eve of his trip to New York, Kusama destroyed all his early works, leaving only a few of them intact. One of them is the 1955 work “A Gill” (fish gill), which appeared in the recent spring shoot. The work was “survived” because it was given to a friend by the artist “.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “A Gill” (A Gill), gouache, ink painting, oil painting, paper, 60.4 × 72cm,1955, 2023 spring auction price: HK $4.862 million *

At that time, Kusama was only 26 years old, but people could already see his talent and future creative track. The abstract and delicate brushstrokes outline rich textures and scattered floats, full of poetry and mystery. And its importance can be seen from the past exhibition institutions: Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art (1999), Paris Pompidou Center (2011), Tate Gallery (2012) …… Its important works in the 1950 s can not be found.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Fish’s Gill” (Partial), Gouache, Ink Painting, Oil Painting, Paper, 60.4 × 72cm,1955 *

# Buy “people”-Pioneer

“I feel more like a sculptor.” When asked about the different creative identities, Yayoi Kusama replied like this. In addition to the “pumpkin”, the most worthwhile sculptures are a series of female mannequins full of wave dots. In the mid-1960s, the artist was already plagued by mental illnesses such as hallucinations, a period of fear and anxiety she called “self-Obliteration. This concept represents the disappearance of identity, boundaries, and throughout his artistic career.

What to buy if you don’t buy a pumpkin?

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Self Obliteration”, comprehensive media, variable size, 1966, 2011 transaction price: $1.022 million *

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Untitled (Mannequin from” Oppression Image Exhibition “)”, acrylic, polyester fiber, 174 × 49.5 × 33cm,1966, 2023 transaction price: HK $2.032 million *

These female sculptures were born at this time, and to some extent, they are the reproduction of their self-image and mental state. From 1964 to 1966, this series of works were successively presented in the “Driving Image Show” solo exhibitions in New York and Milan, which also became a landmark event in his artistic career.

Later, she also staged a number of performance arts in the square where people gathered. Naked and painted with wave spots were her most bold and avant-garde and rebellious creative stage. Compared with “pumpkins”, these body sculptures may be less decorative, but they undoubtedly reflect the vanguard of Yayoi Kusama.

* “Driving Image Show” solo exhibition, 1966 *

* Yayoi Kusama, who created performance art *

# Buy “big”-cost-effective

Judging from the price per square meter, multi-link is undoubtedly the most cost-effective. At present, the price of its most expensive triptych is about $2.68 million per square meter, while the single most expensive “Infinite Net” and “Pumpkin” paintings are about $6.88 million and $4.69 million respectively. Not only that, these large paintings reflect the artist’s ability to control the picture, as well as the strong creative energy. In particular, works completed since 2000, when the artist was over 70 years old. All of these multi-couplet works are a kind of declaration of “living to old age, painting to old age.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinite Net (TWHOQ)”, Comprehensive Media, Canvas, 194 × 390.9cm, Transaction Price in 2006 and 2019: HK $27.725 million *

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Nets (G.E.R)”, Acrylic on Cloth, 194.3 × 389.9cm,1999, 2020 Transaction Price: US $3.62 million *

A “Infinite Points” (Infinity Dots) shot this spring is a typical example. The gray wave dots of different sizes, light and dark, are full of rhythm and motion, like a deep sea and a sky full of stars. The price of the work is only $466000 per square meter, and the red version of the same series is still on display at the M Museum. Buy is to earn, of course, the premise is that the display space is large enough.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinite Point (HTI)”, acrylic and canvas (triple work), 194 × 390cm in total, sold for HK $27.675 million in spring 2001 and 2023 *

# Buy “Quiet”-Unique

From pumpkin to the “My Eternal Soul” series opened in 2013, the gorgeous colors and complicated pictures are full of vitality. But for some collectors, these works may be too “noisy” or conflict with their tastes and existing collections. In this case, if the funds are sufficient, the minimalist-influenced “infinite net” series as a symbol of the grass, certainly worth starting.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Forever Love”, Acrylic on Cloth, 194 × 194cm,2014, 2022 Transaction Price: US $1.966 million *

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Untitled (Nets)”, oil on canvas, 130.8 × 116.5cm,1959, 2022 transaction price: US $10.496 million *

But if the funds are limited, “unlimited network” is not very friendly. Its black and white still life series created in the 1980 s and 1990 s may be a better choice. At that time, Yayoi Kusama returned to Japan from New York, and his creation entered a new stage. She began to express everyday objects in an abstract way with her iconic infinity net and wave point elements. Black and white ups and downs of the picture quiet and hypnotic, people think of op art, coupled with rich details, worthy of careful taste.

Although this is not its most famous series, with the artist market hot, one of the series has been sold for more than 10 million Hong Kong dollars last year, more than three times the low estimate. If you want to start, you also need to aim for the timing.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “Lemon Tea”, Acrylic on Cloth, 91 × 72.5cm,1981, 2022 Transaction Price: HK $11.5 million *

* Yayoi Kusama’s Ashtray, Acrylic on Cloth, 15.8 × 22.7cm,1981, 2023 Spring Auction Price: HK $2.16 million *

In recent years, Yayoi Kusama has continued to create. Her most iconic Immersive Mirror House is exhibited at top institutions around the world, becoming a box office guarantee for the venue. In the realm of public art, the giant mural she and Kiki Smith painted late last year for New York’s new Central Madison station is stunning. At the same time, in May this year, his latest solo exhibition was held in the New York Space of Zona Gallery, bringing the latest paintings.

* Yayoi Kusama’s “House of Mirrors” installation on display at the Tate until September 2023 *

* A mural created by Yayoi Kusama for New York’s New Central Madison Station *

For such an artist with endless creation and extremely rich appearance, although it is understandable that “pumpkin” has become his most representative symbol, it is a pity to only know “pumpkin” and buy from the crowd. As an outsider, Kaogu once broke into the core of the New York art world with his unique courage and talent. If one were to name a list of great contemporary artists, she is clearly on the list. We also wish her 94 years old health and longevity, create more works and records!

(Source: Harper’s Bazaar Art)