The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) today announced that its major 2020 exhibition will feature the work of internationally celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929). This landmark presentation—exclusive to NYBG and with initial support from Major Sponsor MetLife Foundation—will include works across the spectrum of her multifaceted practice—and introduce major new works created by the artist specifically for this exhibition, which will run from May 2 through November 1, 2020. It offers visitors to New York a unique opportunity to view a range of Kusama’s mesmerizing art, including immersive experiences and new works created for NYBG, which lies just 20 minutes from midtown Manhattan and is the only venue in the world for this singular Garden-wide exhibition.
Kusama’s prolific artistic output and her profound engagement with nature will be represented in depth with multiple installations, including her signature mirrored environments and organic forms, colossal polka-dotted sculptures of flowers and pumpkins, mesmerizing paintings, and her first-ever participatory greenhouse installation that will be transformed over the course of the exhibition. Also on display, early sketchbooks portend Kusama’s lifelong fascination with the natural world that continues to inspire her aesthetic. Visitors may experience her work throughout the changing seasons, making each return visit unique.
Carrie Rebora Barratt, Ph.D., CEO & The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden, said, “We are thrilled to present this unprecedented installation of Yayoi Kusama’s work, including new sculptures made especially for our site. In a lifetime of finding inspiration in nature and pushing against boundaries and biases, she developed a unique lexicon for artistic expression. While these works appear as mostly abstract forms to viewers, they are manifestations of how she sees the universe, specifically the natural world. We are grateful to her for sharing her vision and helping us realize this once-in-a-lifetime display at the Garden for our visitors.”
The expansive exhibition will be installed across NYBG’s 250-acre landscape and in its historic buildings. A selection of works mounted outdoors will include monumental, site- specific sculptures. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory will house a spectacular horticultural showcase honoring Kusama based on one of her hypnotic large-scale paintings. The LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building will feature immersive experiences as well as present examples of her more intimate early work, including botanical sketches, works on paper, biomorphic collages, assemblages, and soft sculpture, providing a compelling study of the formative inspiration Kusama took from the natural world that has pervaded her work throughout her illustrious career.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a vibrant offering of public programming.
The New York Botanical Garden is a museum of plants located at Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road. It is easy to reach by Metro-North Railroad, bus, or subway. The Garden is open year- round, Tuesday through Sunday and Monday federal holidays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The best way to enjoy the Garden is with the All-Garden Pass, which includes admission to the grounds as well as to seasonal gardens, exhibitions, and attractions such as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, and Tram Tour. For ticket pricing, please check our Web site. For more information, please call 718.817.8700 or visit nybg.org The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458
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