Directed by Heather Lenz, I discovered Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in the documentary Kusama: Infinity. The movie is a spotlight on the celebrated artist, according to the New York Times the documentary is “illuminating access to an artist’s way of thinking and working,” and I agree.
Kusama accounts her journey, the well-crafted documentary encounters her journey into the world of art. It starts with her conservative family in Japan to the milestones and triumphs that evolved her career.
The documentary shows a rare, but emotional, glimpse into Kusama’s six-decade career. Lenz captures the critical moments that led to her success, though some were hard to believe. What I didn’t know was she penned a letter to renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe for guidance. O’Keeffe wrote back and recommended Kusama risk everything to move to New York City.
Kusama decided to make a name for herself in NYC based on O’Keeffe’s letter. The young Kusama hit the streets of the art world by a boom. Captivating art aficionados with her signature polka dots, she brought light to the industry, and at the same time, shook up the conventional norms.
Today, she is the top-selling female artist in the world. The story amazes me how Kusama prevail over terrible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the art scene. For years and years, she pushed her work, going beyond the boundaries that often alienated her from both her peers and those in power in the art world.
The documentary is about an underdog, who never had a chance, but made it happen despite the trauma of growing up in Japan during World War II. Her life in a dysfunctional family that discouraged her creative ambitions, sexism, and racism in the art establishment, and emotional turmoil in a culture where that was predominantly shameful. She continued to pursue her career as a full-time artist at the point of her 90s.
In spite of it all, Kusama has endured and has created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation art, performance art, poetry, and literary fiction. After working as an artist for over six decades, people around the globe are experiencing her installation Infinity Mirrored Rooms in record numbers, as Kusama continues to create new work every day.
I still think about this documentary and hope others are inspired. Her work is spiritual and transcending. One negative aspect about the movie is how quick people like Lenz are to pigeon hole an artist as mentally ill when all they are is being themselves and living life to create their art form.